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!!!
Hi Nagi,
I’m really hoping you get chance to answer my previous questions soon (from my other comment.) I am planning to make this dish (with boneless, skinless chicken breasts) for our local library’s September recipe swap on Tuesday Sept. 5th. I chose chicken breasts simply because they were hormone & antibiotic free, & they were raised cage free, their chicken thighs were not at the market I frequent. I am also trying to cook & eat lower fat meals to help lose weight. Pleasee help me out. I can’t wait to try it!
By the way, I tried your delectable Stuffed Chicken Breast with Cheese,Spinach, & Sun-dried tomatoes recipe. I have to watch my cholesterol so I left the cheese out & it was still Fantastic! Such Flavor!!!
5 stars!!!!! I’m sure the Greek Chicken with Lemon Rice will be equally as yummy! <3
Hi Kathy! There are directions in the notes for breast 🙂 Hope you love it!
Hi Nagi,
This dish is Amazing! My husband & I love the wonderful lemon flavor. I made it with Jasmine rice & my hubby said he could smell it cooking all across the house. I’m going to add it to my favorites & make it again & again. It’s too good not to!! Thank you for all your lovely recipes!!! Can’t wait to try more. Maybe Chicken Shawarma next…
Namaste & Happy Cooking,
Kathy
That’s great to hear Kathy! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes with us. This recipe is making my mouth water just reading it! I can’t wait to try it, but I have a couple of questions first. Is it possible to make it in an electric skillet because we don’t have an oven yet. Also, I am wondering what you think of adding fresh mushrooms to the dish part way into the cooking time? The flavors should go well together, but do you think it will take away from the Greek essence of the dish?
Hi Kathy! Mushrooms will go great with this but I’m afraid it’s not a recipe for an electric skillet, sorry! 🙁 N x
Made this tonight. Delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ve already shared it with a friend.
That’s terrific to hear Christine, thanks for leaving a review! N x
Hello, I want to try this recipe but I have bone in, skin on Chicken thighs. How would the cooking time change with a bone in chicken thigh? Also, could I use orzo instead of rice?
Hi Tyra, that’s what I use! But you can’t sub the rice for Orzo, wrong liquid ratio, sorry! 🙂 N xx
Ha! Ooops! 🙂
Question: I noticed 1 TBL dried oregano in marinade which then also gets used in the dish and 1 TBl dried oregano in the dish. Thinking that is strong. Making sure no typos in recipe before I make it. Looks fantastic.
No typo! many many MANY people have made this recipe as written and loved it! 🙂 N x
Thank you. Looking forward to trying recipe.
Made this tonight and you are spot on– the rice is definitely the star of this dish! almost tasted like risotto, but better! It had heaps of flavour and just so melt in mouth texture. Soooo good.
I know! It’s so crazy good, isn’t it? 🙂 So pleased you enjoyed it Jen! N x
I’ve made this THREE times now and I love it as much as the first time!! I would like to double the amount of rice made (honestly, it’s the best part), however, I don’t want it to be overly wet or undercooked. So before I experiment, do you have a suggestion on how to double the rice in this recipe? Thank you!!
Hi Brittany! My tip is to use a large baking dish so the rice and liquid spreads out more, then it should cook per the recipe, maybe 10 minutes longer 🙂 N xx
Hi Brittany! I would like to do the same thing and double the rice! Did you double the rice’s liquid ingredients as well?
Will the chicken be overcooked if I use brown rice? Should I put the chicken in later?
Hi Stephanie! It won’t be overcooked as long as you use bone in thigh per the recipe, it will just be super tender which is terrific! But you can put it in about 15 minutes into the bake time if you want. 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi,
I just want to say thanks for your recipes, they are always so tasty and clear to follow! I always go straight to your website now when I’m looking for a recipe.
This dish in particular I have made many times and everyone always loves it!
Thank you!
Hi Anastasia, thanks so much for your love message, I’m so pleased you enjoy my recipes. Especially this one – I have a big soft spot for it! N xx
A q about the reserved marinade then being used. I always thought this was a no no for some reason and that it was not to be used but discarded as raw chickensitting in it?
Whats the go with reserved marinade and food safety. I guess its no different than whats on the chicken that you are eating – confused? !
Hi Michele! It’s fine to use as long as it is cooked 🙂 This is definitely cooked well so the reserved marinade is perfectly fine to consume! N xx
Made this tonight and it was delicious. I made it with chicken breast as that’s all I had and I just added it after the first 10 mins. The chicken stayed moist and so so delicious. The rice is to die for but what I did different is after taking it out of the oven I put it on high on the stove for a couple minutes to create a “paella” like socarrat. So crispy and delicious:)
I’m so pleased to hear that Madelina! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this 🙂 N xx
Could I substitute the rice for couscous?
I’m sorry, no Chandra. This recipe is for rice 🙂 N xx
Is it necessary to bake this, or can it just be simmered on the stove top in a covered pan?
Hi Gretchen! This is an oven recipe I’m afraid 🙂 N xx
I don’t have a pot/pan that can go in the oven. Any other suggesions?
Neither did I! Once I’d finished cooking on the hob, I just transferred my ingredients to an oven proof dish x
Just transfer it all into a baking dish! N xx
Made this tonight for the 1st time for myself and my partner. OMG what a taste explosion!! Delicious!! I adapted it slightly because I’m doing slimming world, I used skinless thighs without the bone and I didn’t use any oil to cook with. The other ingredients I used exactly.
Thank you for sharing! I will be doing the Mexican chicken tomorrow x
HIGH FIVE! So pleased you enjoyed it Caroline! N xx
I made this last night and my husband was very impressed; we both thought it extremely tasty and will be making it again. It is absolutely delicious, looked just like the pic here and tasted just as people described, and is cheap, easy and one pot as well. We use broken basmati rice and I think I’ll cook it for less time next time around as the rice seemed to be done well before time. But gorgeous, thank you Nag!
Thanks for trying my recipe Jennie! So pleased you enjoyed it – N xx
Would cooking in a Dutch oven work?
Yes!!
I followed the instructions exactly but it came out overdone. The chicken is dry and the rice is mushy. Flavour is good, but I would adjust the cooking time if I did it again.
Hi Sarah – I’m sorry to hear that, did you definitely measure the rice and liquids properly? I only ask because I’m Japanese by background and soggy rice is illegal in the Asian culture (jokes – but serious!)! So I am very fussy about perfectly cooked rice! N xx
I had the same problem with the rice. The chicken was amazing but the rice was gummy almost like rice pudding and the lemon was overwhelming. I think climate contributes to rice cooking just like with bread and candy. I live in very humid Southeast Tennessee. I will definitely adjust a few things and try again (i.e. only add half the chicken marinade to the rice and decrease the cooking time).
Hi Summer! I’m sorry to hear that, I will research into humidity affect on rice baking. Because of my background, I’ve been raised a rice snob so I’m very careful with mushy rice. It’s one of my ultimate hates!
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for your reply! I definitely understand that… I’m Italian and we are pasta snobs… overcooked pasta is a definite no-no! I will definitely be aware of the liquid measurements next time, but I’m generally very meticulous. I was unable to find rice that wasn’t “parboiled”… could this have made the difference?
Thanks 🙂
Oh Sarah!! Yes that’s the problem – par boiled rice is already partly cooked so would need to be made with WAY less liquid. I don’t know how to adjust this recipe for that, I’ve never cooked with par boiled rice. N xx
Do you think this would work in a slow cooker?
Unfortunately not Anna 🙂 Sorry! N x
This dish is one of my FAVORITES! I have cooked this at least 4 times already and the recipe is simple and delicious! I’d like to try to make some gravy to go with the chicken and rice … do you have any suggestions, Nagi? Also, what’s a good side veggie dish for this? I’ve been serving this with fully cooked green beans, but it doesn’t wow me…
Whoot! So glad you enjoyed this Anita, thanks for letting me know! how about a GREEK SALAD?? https://hairloss-solved.info/greek-salad/%3C/a%3E N xx
Good idea!