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!!!
Nagi, I’m looking forward to making this, but at what point do you put the chicken back in the pan on top of the rice?
Thanks!
Seriously….did I forget that instruction??! DUH! Just updated 🙂 You plop the chicken back on just before putting it in the oven.
Thanks for picking that up!
Nagi, this can easily go as a Greek dish. I am Bulgarian, and our cuisine is VERY similar to Greek – we share a lot of the same dishes in our traditional cuisine. A traditional Bulgarian meal is rice and chicken casserole, which btw is one of my favorite bulgarian meals from my childhood, and it’s made the same way as yours except that it’s baked in a casserole dish instead of a skillet. This reminds me I haven’t posted many bulgarian recipes recently, and i need to change that. 🙂
Lovely dish and such gorgeous pictures, Nagi! One pot meals are my favorite! 🙂
Please do Neli! I would love to learn about Bulgarian cuisine!! And thank you for the validation!! 🙂
NAGI! I love this! My Greek chicken is one of the searched items on my blog and I COMPLETELY understand why this is so incredible!! I make the potatoes with the chicken as well and for me THEY are the star of the dish!!! This is very similar to how I make my Arroz con Pollo, in which case the rice is most definitely the star!
Oooh, I just looked it up! I am going to make it, it’s going to be the next one pan meal I share on my blog!!
Awww thank you! I am SURE you will love it as much as I do! And I am DYING to try this dish too!
OMG, I think I’m craving rice today! Maggie just posted beautiful lamb pilaf, that I was going to make it this week, and now I see this, and I am like “Ok, it’s going to be a rice week!” Haha Love thiiiiiis!
Nagi, OMG! This looks insanely delicious. I’m literally drooling right now. I think I’ve said that before but I can’t visit your blog on an empty stomach!
Love chicken and rice and the flavors in this dish are awesome! Yeah, I don’t care if it isn’t authentic, Greek inspired is good enough!
I have ALOT of dishes on my blog that are inspired by cuisines!! He he!! As long as it tastes delish, that’s my only criteria!
I love a one pot/pan anything. This dish is completely about the rice. With these colder nights coming on, an absolutely perfect dish.
Thanks Sara! I’m a huge fan of one pot anything too 🙂 Oh, as long as there’s no compromise though!!
For me, it’s always about the rice 😉 I don’t care what the start of the dish should be, the rice is what I always savor the most. Especially when it’s soaked in juices dripping from a chicken cooked on top (seriously wiping drool from my mouth). This is definitely making its way into my weeknight dinner schedule!
That’s because we are fellow Carb Queens. 🙂
Mmm this does look amazing! I must get an oven safe skillet. I love this flavour combination
Thanks Nicole!! Ooh yes you MUST! I couldn’t live without mine 😉
This dish looks wonderful, love that its one pot!
Thanks so much Laureen! (PS LOVE your name!)
Ooh yum yum! I think ‘who cares if this isn’t Greek authentic’, too. Although the Greeks do like eating chicken and rice together with oregano and lemon, so you aren’t departing too far from tradition. I make a dish ‘sort of similar in idea’ to this but with orzo pasta. It works on the same principal, though, soaking up the stock and chicken juices as it cooks. 🙂
Ooh, I thought about making this with orzo! I’ll try it next time 🙂
Awww, Maureen, you haven’t tried one of my DISASTERS yet!! 🙂
What a lovely dish to put on the table – rustic and delicious. I’m glad you called it Greek even though it might not be authentic. It is Greek inspired with all those lovely flavours.
I agree with your wonderful friends.
You know what? Who cares if it isn’t authentic Greek. It’s the flavour that matters! And I can see by the ingredients list that it tastes fab.
Flavour it has! Even if it isn’t authentic 😉