Greek Lemony Chicken & Rice Skillet

A delicious crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for busy weeknights!

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This one-pot Greek lemony chicken & rice skillet is full of Greek flavor and ready in less than an hour. It’s simple to make with basic ingredients and comes together in one pan. The recipe moves quickly once you start, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking. Plus, you can finish this in the oven or on the stovetop. I prefer the oven because it enhances all of the flavors, the edges get a little bit crispy, and the lemon slices get perfectly roasted. It’s so delicious, and everyone’s going to love it.

Why everyone will love this

Fresh herby lemon

Moist, juicy chicken

Tender, creamy rice

A quick and easy delicious lemony chicken and rice dinner for any night of the week!

Less than 10 ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs -sub chicken quarters, bone-in chicken thighs, or drumsticks
• Olive oil -the one in our shop is straight from Crete!
• Onion -finely chopped
• Garlic cloves -grated
• Salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Ground coriander
• Long grain rice -rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes
• Fresh lemon juice
• Dried crushed oregano
• Chicken broth
• Garnish: fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices

How to make Greek Lemony Chicken and Rice Skillet

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
2. Rinse the rice with cool water, then soak it in a bowl of cool water and set aside for about 15 minutes.
3. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
5. Add the olive oil and brown the chicken in a few batches -about 2 minutes per side.
6. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
7. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion. Cook until soft and golden—about 10 minutes.
8. Add the garlic and warm through until fragrant.
9. Drain the rice and add it to the skillet along with two teaspoons of salt, broth, black pepper, ground coriander, oregano, and lemon juice.
10. Stir together and bring to a boil.
11. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chicken, and top with lemon slices.
12. Place the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
13. Garnish with parsley

Finishing on the Stovetop option:

1. Once you bring the rice to a boil, add the chicken back to the pan and top with lemon slices.
2. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover.
3. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
4. Fluff it all together and garnish it with parsley.  

Serving

The chicken is so juicy, and the lemon brightens the whole dish. I love that the parsley adds herby brightness at the end, and it’s hard to go wrong with roasted lemon slices. You can serve this with a side salad, roasted veggies, or green beans, and I always put out tzatziki sauce and kalamata olives for those who want a little extra. Yes, I’m the one that likes the extra. If I haven’t already, I’ll convert you to the “extra” side! Ha! Let me know what you serve it with, and share your pictures with me on Instagram. Kali Orexi!

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Greek Lemony Chicken & Rice Skillet

Yield: Serves 6

This one-pot lemony chicken & rice skillet is full of Greek flavor. A crowd pleaser that's perfect for busy weeknights.

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Ingredients

• 2-2 and 1/2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, grated
• salt, to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Garnish: fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
2. Rinse the rice with cool water and then soak it in a bowl of cool water. Set aside for about 15 minutes.
3. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and brown the chicken in a few batches. About 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion. Cook until soft and golden. About 10 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and warm through until fragrant.
7. Drain the rice and add it to the skilet along with 2 teaspoons salt, the broth, black pepper, the ground coriander, oregano, and lemon juice. Stir together and bring to a boil.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken and top with lemon slices.
9. Place the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Garnish with parsley and serve with salad and tzatziki sauce. Kali Orexi!

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