Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice couldn’t be easier to make and is ideal for a weeknight dinner! Hearty chicken thighs are marinated in Greek spices, garlic and lemon juice then nestled on top of herbed rice and baked to perfection!
Love a one pan Greek flavored dinner? Then you have to try this Greek meatballs and orzo skillet!
This post has been updated since it was originally published on 2/25/2019
Why I love it
One pan dinner – Who doesn’t love a dinner that’s all made in one pan! The less dishes I have to wash the better.
Make ahead dinner – This baked chicken and rice is a meal that holds up well for several days in the refrigerator. It’s a great option if you meal prep or love having leftovers.
Satisfying and balanced dinner – Thanks to the protein and carbs in this recipe, you won’t find yourself hungry an hour after eating. Add a veggie side dish or salad, like this cucumber tomato salad and you’ll have a perfectly healthy and balanced dinner.
The ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – Meaty, flavorful and even more flavorful after being marinated.
- Lemons – Fresh, tart, and acts as the acid for the marinade. Be sure to zest the lemon before juicing it.
- Garlic – Used in both the marinade and the rice. I like to grate the garlic with a microplane zester so that it melts into the marinade and you don’t risk biting into any chunks or having it burn while you sear the chicken.
- Dried oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and dill – Common dried herbs used in Greek cooking. Regular sweet paprika can be used in place of smoked paprika.
- Yellow onion – Used in the rice.
- Rice – I like to use Jasmine rice, but long grain white rice can be used as well.
- Chicken broth – Gives the rice more flavor than if it were cooked in water.
- Fresh dill and flat leaf parsley – Once the chicken and rice have baked garnish with the herbs for extra fresh flavor.
How to make Greek lemon chicken and rice
Marinate the chicken – The chicken marinade recipe is very similar to the one I use for my wildly popular Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers. It uses lots of fresh lemon zest and juice along with garlic, oregano, coriander and smoked paprika.
The chicken only needs 30-60 minutes to marinate, I usually do 60 minutes.
Brown the chicken – Once marinated, the chicken thighs are seared in a hot skillet for a few minutes on each side. You want them to have a nice golden brown crust, but not be cooked all the way through.
Make the rice – The rice is more like a pilaf, meaning there’s onion, garlic, and more of those delicious Greek spices added in. Chicken stock is added to the rice mixture and then the skillet is covered and put in the oven.
Bake – The rice bakes for about 15 minutes and then the chicken thighs get nestled back into the partially cooked rice. Everything bakes for another 10-15 minutes or until the rice is done.
Garnish with fresh parsley, dill and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice over everything. This Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but also works well for a special occasion.
Greek chicken and rice FAQ:
Yes. I recommend pounding them out a little if they’re extra large so that they don’t take as long to cook.
Yes. If you don’t have a lid to cover the skillet while the chicken and rice bake, you can cover it tightly with a piece of foil.
Yes. Cook the chicken completely and then remove it from the skillet and onto a plate. Cover it with foil. Follow the same steps in the directions for the rice up until sticking it in the oven. Instead cover the skillet with a lid and cook on medium-low until the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Nestle the chicken in with the rice and cook another couple minutes with the lid on to warm everything through.
More Greek Recipes
Did you make this skillet Greek lemon chicken and rice? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Zest of a lemon
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, rubbed between the palms of your hands
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, rubbed between the palms of your hands
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup uncooked rice, I used Jasemine rice
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a freezer bag or medium sized bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining chicken ingredients and pour over the chicken thighs. Massage the marinade into the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Heat a couple teaspoons of olive a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, swirl to coat the bottom. Add the chicken thighs being careful not to crowd them and cook for 4-6 minutes, flipping them over half way through the cooking time. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate, it should not be fully cooked.
- Lower the heat to medium and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, swirl to coat the bottom. Add in the onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add in the garlic, oregano and dill and sauté another 30 seconds. Stir the rice into the mixture and then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid or foil and put it in the preheated oven.
- Cook the rice for 15 minutes then remove it from the oven and nestle the chicken into it. Cover and bake another 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over everything and garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and fresh dill if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 391mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 39g
thank you for helping make boneless, skinless chicken taste much better!
Great recipe, added some feta on the top. Delicious