I want to say the star of this dish is the chicken. But that would be lying. Because this, my friends, is all about the RICE! People have said this One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice is the best chicken and rice recipe they’ve ever had (their words not mine!). I hope you feel the same when you try it!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Chicken and rice – elevated!
What makes this lemon rice so special, you might ask? Well, it’s like cooking the rice in triple strength chicken stock because the chicken is cooked ON TOP of the rice. So it gets the full benefit of all the juices from the chicken seeping into it while it cooks. Add the fresh flavours of lemon and boom! You will knock the socks off anyone you serve this too!
Big promises I know….but I have third party validation of this. Someone who always tells me the truth about my dishes. Especially “inventions” which I often pass on because I know I’ll get truthful feedback. I do love my friends dearly, but honestly, not everything I make them can be “OMG, this is so delicious!!” (Seriously, I love my friends, love them to bits!)
So in this particular case, her family raved about the rice so I’m just passing on that message. 🙂 (PS She was quick to point out that the chicken was lovely too, she just said that the STAR of the dish was the rice! I’m totally cool with that! 🙂 )
This is not an authentic Greek Chicken recipe (as far as I know!) but it is made using classic Greek ingredients. It uses the same technique I use for my One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice. There’s nothing tricky or ground breaking, it’s just about getting the liquid to rice ratio right. Rice baked in the oven requires a lot more water than when it’s cooked on the stove. And when you plop chicken on top of the rice, it drops liquid so you need to take that into account.
To make this Greek Chicken recipe in one pot (well, pan – why do I keep writing “pot”??!), the chicken is seared in the pan first, then the rice is added, the chicken placed back on top then it’s popped in the oven. The magic happens while it’s baking. As the chicken cooks, all the juices seep into the rice which are soaked up by the rice and add incredible flavour. INCREDIBLE flavour. It honestly is like triple strength chicken stock.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I can’t hold back any longer. I need some lunch! – Nagi
More dinner in one pot!
Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
Asian Beef and Ramen Noodles – made in one skillet in 15 minutes!
Browse all One Pot recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in (about 1 kg / 2 lb) (Note 1)
- 1 – 2 lemons, use the zest + 4 tbsp lemon juice (Note 7)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
Rice
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 cup (180g) long grain rice , uncooked (Note 6)
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) chicken broth / stock
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) water
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Garnish
- Finely chopped parsley or oregano (optional)
- Fresh lemon zest (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Combine the Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and set aside for at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.
To Cook
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Remove chicken from marinade, but reserve the Marinade.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a deep, heavy based skillet (Note 2) over medium high heat.
- Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, then turn and cook the other side until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Pour off fat and wipe the pan with a scrunched up ball of paper towel (to remove black bits), then return to the stove.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Then add the remaining Rice ingredients and reserved Marinade.
- Let the liquid come to a simmer and let it simmer for 30 seconds. Place the chicken on top then place a lid on the skillet (Note 3). Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (so 45 minutes in total).
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, garnished with parsley or oregano and fresh lemon zest, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
If you like this one pot Greek Chicken recipe, you may also enjoy my ONE POT BAKED GREEK CHICKEN ORZO (RISONI)!
And if you’re after another Greek Chicken recipe (because let’s face it, the Greeks know how to make GOOD CHICKEN!), I think you’ll enjoy my GREEK CHICKEN GYROS.
The yoghurt lemon marinade for this chicken is incredible!
LIFE OF DOZER
His chest hair bursting out of his sweater…. SO CUTE!!!
Question about the Chicken and lemon Rice recipe. The marinade really doesn’t have any liquid so how can you add the reserved marinade near the end?
Hey!
How does the rice not become stodgy using way more liquid than is usual to cook rice?
More water evaporates when baked. 🙂
Hi,
I have made this a couple of times and served it on the same day. I am planning on using this recipe for a freezer meal cooking day with my sister. I saw that you mentioned you have frozen this meal. Did you freeze it uncooked ( everything sauted but with uncooked rice and liquid in pan) or did you complete baking it in the oven before freezing?
Any input would be appreciated. Thank you. Your recipes are wonderful!
Made the One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice tonight and it was delicious! The entire family agrees, this one is a keeper! Loved the slide tool to change the servings! We bumped it up to nine and everything was perfect! Great idea!
Oh my goodness. I only skimmed the recipe before heading to the comments to see any suggested changes and totally missed the serving slider feature. How COOL! Thank you, Diana Vilardo, for posting about it so I could go back and check it out. It’s a seriously great feature! (I can math recipes well enough, but it’s far from my favorite part of cooking.)
This page was very well put together, Nagi. Thank you. I really appreciate the numbered notes at the bottom of the recipe since I need to use brown rice. I’m looking forward to giving this one a try.
You’re so welcome Jeanette! I do hope you enjoy it! N x
Love that you enjoyed this Diana! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Would you answer the ‘freezing it’ question? that’s mine too!
I used boneless, skinless thighs and doubled the rice and it turned out so great and moist! I used a Dutch oven since I didn’t have a heavy based skillet which worked fine (although doesn’t sear quite as well). I paired it with a Greek horiatiki salad and feta, which was such a good compliment to the dish 🙂 .
Love that you enjoyed this Christine! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Hello Nagi,
I saved your One Pot Greek Chicken Lemon Rice recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago. Last night I made it using chicken thigh fillets as I didn’t have any bone in chicken thighs. The meal I served up for dinner was amazing, truly delicious. We loved the chicken but the rice was everyone’s favourite. Rice is usually the bland accompaniment to a tasty curry or braised main meal but in your recipe the rice is the star. My teenage son usually sits down and polishes off his dinner without comment. Last night after the first mouthful he said, “Thanks Mum this is really good”.High praise indeed. I made extra marinade so that I could make a separate version of your recipe using a meat substitute product for my vegetarian daughter. It worked perfectly and was delicious.
I can see that I will be using many of your recipes now that I have found you. I had a quick look at the incredible looking range of so many recipes on your website. Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful resource Nagi.
I have far too many cookbooks because i love reading and looking through them. The collection of recipes on your website outshines most of them.
Thanks and warm regards, Maria from Adelaide SA.
Maria, you SO needed to make Nagi’s Baked Chicken & Rice. I was shocked at the amount of flavor that dripped/leached into the rice! Being rather indifferent to the rice in a meal, I found it to be the star of the recipe as well as you did with this Greek rendition. It’s the only way I bake my chicken thighs now!
I love hearing that! I’m so glad you found me, I always love hearing from fellow Aussies! N x
The marinade seems to be lacking something. Only 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the spices and then later you say to pour the leftover marinade in something doesn’t seem right. Please clarify
Hi Jamie! I mean use the marinade the chicken was in 🙂 So take the chicken out then pour the marinade into the rice
Can this recipe be doubled and still turn out just as good? I’ve made it twice before and absolutely love it but need it to make a larger meal next time!
Yes! Use a big baking pan 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi!
I have searched online, and cannot come up with the difference between a yellow onion vs a brown one. I’m in Virginia, US here, by the way. Can you clarify this for me, please? Your recipes are amazing, by the way!
Hi Bella! yellow is the same as brown 🙂 We call them brown onions here. It is white onions that are different – they are not as harsh when raw and can be served raw. It’s used raw, for example, to garnish tacos in Mexico . Hope that helps! N x
has anyone done this in a crockpot ? recommendations ?
Hi Becky! Unfortunately this won’t work in a crockpot 🙂
Delicious! I used basmati and the rice was insanely good, so full of flavour. Chicken moist and tender. Easy and delicious.
Nagi, can I do this in my electric pressure cooker ?
What kid if frying pan do you use? Nonstick? Cast-Iron?
I used my large cast iron handled-skillet. (About 2.5in deep by 12in). I used an extra large cookie sheet to cover (no lid for the skillet), but ended up having to add a bit more H20 to the rice and gave it an extra 12 minutes in the oven. Turned out delicious!
cast iron here but anything frying pan will do! 🙂
Thanks Nagi literally making the recipe as we speak! Trial for book club this weekend!! Do you think I can make the chicken ahead of time (1-2hours) and then throw it in the oven to bake?
Yes definitely! Just keep the rice and liquids separate until ready to throw in the oven (otherwise rice absorbs liquid 🙂 ) It will be great! N x
I must have had my heat too hot or something odd. The skin stuck to the bottom of my heavy stainless pan 🙁 Hoping it still tastes good.
I was just wondering if you happen to have a recipe for Greek green beans with rice. I think it has a tomato sauce and spinach in it but not to sure. Please can you help me with this.
I’m sorry I don’t Denise! Have you tried googling it? 🙂 N x
This is one of my favorite all time recipes! It’s so easy and delicious, the rice is heavenly!!
Hi Nagi!
This is the fourth time I’ve made this recipe, and it is just so good, which is why my family keeps asking for it. Thanks for sharing it, and for all the other recipes, such a great site, you make me look great……;)
Ah, I just provide the tools, you’re the one working the magic in the kitchen! 🙂 N x
Absolutely delicious! Definitely use the bone-in skin-on thighs, as written. I’ve made it with those and with the boneless skinless thighs. The the flavor and texture of the rice with the bone-in skin-on thighs wins hands down.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Deb! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! N x ❤️
Hi Nagi…I luv your recipes, teaching techniques and advice…AND DOZER !!
YOUR HUMOR IS DELIGHTFUL. THIS PIC IS MY LOL FOR TODAY. THANKS.
I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes Patti! AND DOZER!!! 🙂 N xx
Made this yesterday and really loved it. Rice was delicious and the chicken tender and lovely. Thanks for the recipe, this will become a regular in my house!
Already a regular in my house. It’s in the oven right now!
Hope everyone loved it! N xx
That’s great to hear Gaya! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
This was amazing! Only had boneless, skinless thighs and used brown rice. Put the chicken in about an hour after baking the rice. This is a keeper!