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!!!
Wow. Was this good with its intense flavor of lemon and oregano! Didn’t think anything could beat the carnitas enchiladas I made from your recipe, but this may have done it! Thanks for spicing up my weeknight cooking.
Awww, thank you Mike! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! N xx
I’m short on time and can only marinate for the 20 minutes …. How much taste will I be sacrificing if I marinate only the 20 minutes?
Also, I never read in the directions what to do with marinade you indicated to reserve from the chicken…
Hi Tina! It’s in step 6 – tip it in with the rice 🙂
The chicken won’t be as infused with flavour but definitely still worth making! 🙂 Just make sure you mix up the chicken and rice when eating it because the rice is loaded with flavours!!
this looks delicious! if you’re using bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, will the timing be the same?
Hi Caitlin! Yup, 45 minutes in the oven would be perfect for chicken breast too, it is leaner so even though it’s larger than thigh, you don’t want to overcook otherwise they will be dry 🙂
This was AMAZING! I made it tonight with boneless chicken breasts and substituted half of the rice for quinoa. The family loves it!
YAY! Thanks Alissa!! 🙂
Just made this for my Dad, he was VERY impressed I made this by myself [I’m only 11] but it was so easy.
Woah – what?? You’re 11 and you made this?? You ROCK Gabriella!!! 🙂
I don’t normally comment, but I found this recipe on pinterest and made it last night. My husband is from a Greek family and is used to traditional Greek food (made by his mom and grandma not me as much haha). He told me this is the best meal I have made in a long time! He loved it and called to tell him mom about it. He said it reminded him of his yiayia’s Easter lamb and potatoes. I liked this better than the Easter dish! It was really easy to make!
We had surprise guests while it was in the oven and they couldn’t stop talking about how great it smelled. Thanks for sharing! We will definitely make it again.
Gosh Alexis, what a compliment, thank you!!! Wow, I’m blown away! Hmm…..Greek Easter lamb and potatoes….must look into that!!
I was wondering if I mattered whether you simmer the rice for 30 mins with the lid on or off?
Wow! I totally misread the recipe! ?
You mean you tried it and misread it?? What part did you misread??
I mean I completely misread simmer rice for 30 seconds and instead saw 30 mins. I did not realize it till it was about 20 mins in. But I went ahead and put it (covered) into the oven with the chicken on top and to my surprise it turned out fine. It was delicious. I will definitely try it again and do it right next time. The best part is it will take about half the time ?
Hi Liz! Do you mean using the stovetop method per the notes? If so, lid on. Please see Note 5a). N x
Made the drumsticks for supper. Very good. Made in my electric skillet, and let it cook down on 350 degrees. Turned every 7 min. Turned a total of 4 times. I had 9 drumsticks and made one and half the sauce. Yum. Will make again. Thanks
YAY!!! So glad you enjoyed it Cindy!!!
The pin I found listed marjoram as an ingredient, but I could not find it in the recipe. Does the recipe use marjoram?
Hi Jennifer, must’ve been a Pinterst glitch, no Marjoram in this!
Hey trying this recipe! What if using thigh and drumstick ? Do both need same cooking time ? Thanks
Hi Bella, please refer to Note 1 in the recipe!
Made this tonight..it was delicious! I will definitely be making this dish again. I only marinated the chicken less than an a hour. Chicken had a lot of flavor..will try overnight next time…also will be making more rice..I could have eaten the rice on it’s own ..it was so good…only had Meyer lemons on hand…but still delicious! My New Years Resolution eas to find new dishes to add to my somewhat limited recipe file…looking forward to trying another of your recipes soon..
Thanks..
I’m so glad you liked it Dolo!!! I know, isn’t the rice awesome?? I can TOTALLY eat it on its own!!!
I’m not a cooker at all, however i gave this dish and shot and boy was it delicious!! My wife loved it, daughter loved it and I at more than I could handle. Next time I will let it marinate over night.
This was great
Yeeha!! So glad you loved it LaRon!
How would I double the rice. I would like more rice.
Hi Kathryn! Just double the recipe 🙂 Probably only needs and extra 10 – 15 minutes of cook time!
Tried this tonight with chicken breasts and even had to swap out the oregano because I didn’t realize I ran out. It was still delicious though. 2 thumbs up. I didn’t clean out the pan after cooking the chicken and before the rice though. Since I wasn’t using skin on there wasn’t too much fat and I would never scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. That is where all the flavor it, it’s the fond.
Glad you enjoyed it Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I made this tonite and while it was awesome tasting, why did everything in my pot turn brown? The rice is not the slightest bit white. Any ideas on what I did wrong?
Hi Christine! Glad you enjoyed the flavour!! 🙂 Did you follow the step to clean the pan before adding the rice ingredients?
this looks fabulous! One question – where do the slices of fried lemon come from? and when they are added?
Hi Nat! I just fried some up and plonked them on for decoration 🙂
This looks fabulous- I’m looking forward to trying it this weekend. I would love to add veggies to the pot. Any suggestions on what would work well to bake with the rice and chicken? Thank you!
Hi Hilary! I think diced zucchini would be fab in this – and very Greek!!! 🙂
Thanks for the great one-pot meal. I’ve been addicted to Greek lately and this totally hit the spot. It has been added to the “keeper” file!
YEE HAA!!! SO GLAD you enjoyed it Becca!!! 🙂
I would like to substitute cauliflower for the rice. Any suggestions?
Hi Jessi! I’m sorry, I haven’t made this with cauliflower rice 🙂
Hi!
My husband only likes chicken breasts can I use them instead ? If so, do I need to cook it longer and will that ruin the rice? Thanks for any info I’m eager to try this recipe it looks delicious!
Hi Amy! I’d put the chicken breast in after after 10 or 15 minutes, otherwise the breasts will overcook and be dry. Hope you enjoy it!
Absolutely SENSATIONAL! I loved it, hubby loved it and dispite major misgivings Miss extremely-fussy-doesn’t-eat-anything and Mr less-fussy-but-follows-his-sister’s-lead (6+3)ate and ENJOYED it. Mr 3 even had seconds. So quick, so tasty, so grateful! Thank you!
So glad you loved it Ali!! Especially 2 x fussy eaters!!! N x