Description
A flavorful Lemon Chicken Rice Bake featuring marinated chicken thighs cooked to golden perfection with a fragrant lemon-infused rice base. This one-pan dish offers juicy chicken with a crispy skin complemented by aromatic garlic, oregano, and fresh lemon, baked together for an easy and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine (Sauvignon blanc recommended)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 chicken thighs with bone and skin
For Rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long grain uncooked rice
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Lemon slices (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a large zipper bag, combine white wine, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and chicken thighs. Seal the bag and shake well to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight for best flavor.
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 350℉ (177℃) to prepare for baking the chicken and rice.
- Brown Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-safe large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and cook until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and brown the other side briefly. Remove chicken to a plate but keep the reserved marinade.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Rice Mixture: Add the uncooked rice to the skillet; stir and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and reserved marinade from the chicken. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in lemon zest and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Assemble and Bake: Place browned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture in the skillet. Arrange lemon slices around the chicken. Cover the skillet with a lid to retain moisture.
- Bake Covered: Place the covered skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the flavors and chicken to cook through.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the lid from the skillet and bake for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the top and finish cooking the chicken.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove skillet from oven, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish, and serve warm for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Chicken Selection: Use chicken thighs for juiciness, but chicken breasts can be substituted with adjusted cooking times.
- Wine Choice: Any dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay can replace Sauvignon Blanc.
- Rice Type: Long grain rice yields a fluffy texture; adjust liquid and cooking time if using short grain or brown rice.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is recommended over bottled for balanced acidity and fresh flavor.
- Oven-Safe Skillet: Use a heavy, oven-safe skillet like cast iron or a braiser to go from stovetop to oven without transferring dishes.
