Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice (30 Minutes, One-Pot)

Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice (30 Minutes, One-Pot)

Use a heavy-bottomed skillet and avoid burning the oil; the pan juices will flavor the rice. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before slicing. The recipe calls for cooked jasmine rice—leftover or microwave-ready rice works well and keeps the cook time short. For a dairy-free version, omit the feta or use a dairy-free feta alternative. Fresh oregano is optional; if unavailable, add a pinch more dried oregano to taste. Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or lemon juice. Freezing is best without the feta and fresh tomatoes; freeze the chicken-rice base for up to 2 months.

Time: Prep: 10 mins, Cook: 20 mins, Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 oz grape tomatoes (sliced in half)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 oz fresh spinach (chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
  • 15 oz chickpeas (canned)
  • 6 oz feta cheese (diced into small cubes)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (optional)
  • fresh oregano (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken thighs with dried oregano, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Heat an empty, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as a cast iron pan, a large stainless steel pan, or a large and deep non-stick pan) over medium heat for 2 minutes.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes on one side, undisturbed. Important note: make sure the oil does not burn. If the skillet gets too hot (depending on your stovetop), reduce heat to low-medium. You don't want the juices from the chicken to be burnt, as you will use those juices to flavor the rice.
  4. Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer on the other side, without moving it, until it's cooked through.
  5. The digital instant meat thermometer should register 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  6. Add half of the halved grape tomatoes, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same, now empty, skillet. Cook the tomatoes on medium heat for about 2 minutes until they soften and release juices.
  7. Stir in fresh spinach until it wilts.
  8. Add cooked rice and drained chickpeas.
  9. Add 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the remaining uncooked halved grape tomatoes. Reheat on medium heat, stirring everything to combine. Add 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil if you like.
  10. In a medium bowl, combine cubed Feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano (add more to taste), 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano (if using).
  11. Mix so that the herbs and olive oil coat the cubed Feta cheese.
  12. Mix half of the feta cheese mixture into the skillet with lemon rice.
  13. Add sliced cooked chicken to the skillet with rice and reheat on medium heat.
  14. Top the Greek chicken and lemon rice with the remaining feta mixture. Sprinkle fresh oregano on top.
  15. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Original recipe source