Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice (Easy and Healthy)

Name: Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice (Easy and Healthy)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breast (sliced in halves); salt to taste; 1/2 tsp minced garlic; 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika (optional); 1/2 tsp oregano; 1/2 tsp thyme; 2 tsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp oil; 3 tsp olive oil; 1.5 cups long grain basmati rice (rinse it well and soak for 30 minutes before adding it); 1 onion (finely chopped); 1 tsp minced garlic; 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper (add as per taste); 1/2 tsp thyme; 1/2 tsp oregano; 2 and 1/4 cups chicken broth; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional); 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro; lemon zest (garnishing)

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One pan Greek lemon chicken and rice made with pan-seared chicken, lemon, garlic and herbs. Easy and healthy dinner recipe, loaded with authentic Greek flavors, comes together in 30 minutes.

close-up of greek lemon chicken rice in a skillet.

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About this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
Step by step instructions with photos
Tips for best lemon chicken and rice
FAQs
Storage Suggestion
Serving Suggestion
Variations that you can try
More Chicken recipes you’ll love
Recipe Card

This is one of the best chicken and rice recipes, I have shared on this website. See my other popular chicken and rice recipes - one pan Mexican chicken and rice, one pan Cajun chicken and rice, One pan chicken fajita and rice, Spanish chicken and rice, Prawn fried rice, and Chicken tikka biryani.

This Greek chicken and lemon rice are seasoned with classic Greek flavors. The chicken is pan-seared and cooked with rice in a flavorful stock. Oh! It tastes amazing. You should give this recipe a try.

About this recipe

One-pot meals are definitely a winner for lazy weekends. This is an easy Greek chicken rice recipe where the chicken is marinated with fresh lemon juice, garlic, spices, and herbs. It is pan-seared, layered over rice, and then simmered until the rice is cooked.

You will love the recipe for the following reasons:

One-pan chicken dinner recipe - This Greek chicken and lemon rice recipeis made in a single pan. That means fewer dishes to go and easy to clean up.
Simple Greek flavors - The recipe is flavored with simple spices and herbs, easily available in the kitchen pantry. It includes pepper, fresh garlic, oregano, thyme, and lemon juice.
Healthy meal - There’s protein (chicken), carbohydrates (rice), and lots of fiber (peas) in this family-friendly meal.
Easy to customize - It is easy to customize this one-pot Greek chicken and rice recipe as per the ingredients you have in your kitchen pantry. Do check out the possible substitutions in the ingredients below.
Make-ahead recipe - You can make it ahead of time. Let it cool down completely. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 2 days. Sprinkle some water on it and reheat in the microwave. Make sure to store it within 2 hours of cooking it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

individually labelled ingredients to make healthy greek lemon chicken and rice are laid out on a table.

Chicken - I have used boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can also use chicken thighs.
Greek seasoning - It includes pepper, fresh garlic, salt, oregano, thyme, paprika, and lemon juice. Oregano and thyme are classic Greek flavors. If you do not have oregano and thyme substitute them with Italian seasoning. You can skip paprika if you do not prefer spicy dishes.
Oil - I have used olive oil. You can use any neutral flavor oil.
Rice - I used long grain basmati rice. You can use any long grain or medium grain rice of your choice.
Lemon Juice - Fresh lemon juice is the best to flavor this Greek chicken and rice dish. Do not use the bottled one.
Onions - I have used red onions. You can substitute it with yellow onions.
Chicken broth - It adds a great depth of flavor to the rice. You can substitute it with water. Add 2 chicken stock cubes to flavor the water.
Coriander leaves and lemon wedge to garnish the rice and chicken dish. You can substitute coriander leaves with dill leaves.

Step by step instructions with photos

Preparations

Slice the chicken breast in halves or you can pound it.
Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, lemon juice, and oil. Set it aside for 30 minutes.
Rinse the rice with water 2-3 times until the cloudiness of the water is gone. Drain off the water. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
Chop the onions and garlic. Slice lemons. Set these aside.

Making Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice

In a large skillet or pan, heat 3 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
Place the marinated chicken on the pan. Cook it for 2-3 minutes on each side. No need to cook it completely at this stage. Remove it to a plate. Cover to keep it warm.
Add onions to the same pan. Cook until onions are translucent.
Add garlic. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Next, add the chicken broth, lemon juice, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits.
Taste it and add salt as per taste.
Add rice and green peas. Gently stir to combine.
Let the chicken stock come to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, add the chicken back to the pan.
Cover with a lid and cook it on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed by the rice.
Remove from heat. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
Garnish with lemon slices, lemon zest, and coriander leaves.

close-up of greek lemon chicken and rice in a skillet.

Tips for best lemon chicken and rice

Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. It will make the chicken tender and juicy.
Rice to liquid ratio is important. Add water as per the brand of rice you are using. There will be instructions on the package for the rice to water ratio.
Use a tight-fitting lid to cover the pan. If the steam escapes from the lid then you have to add more water to cook the rice. Alternatively, you can cover it with aluminum foil if you do not have a tight-fitting lid.
Do not stir the rice when it is simmering or just cooked. It will break the rice grains and rice will become mushy. You can use a fork to fluff the rice.
I added green peas to the recipe. You can skip it or add any other greens like broccoli.

FAQs

Can I make this recipe with brown rice?

Yes, you can but the time required to cook brown rice will be more. Also, the rice-to-liquid ratio will be different. Follow the package instructions to cook brown rice. In the last 15 minutes of cooking add the chicken back to the pan. Make sure to test the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F.

What can I use instead of chicken broth?

You can substitute chicken broth with water and chicken stock cubes (bouillon cube). Add as per the package instructions.

Storage Suggestion

If you have any leftovers, let them cool down completely. Transfer to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
The leftovers should be stored within 2 hours of cooking them.
To reheat, sprinkle some water on it and microwave.

Serving Suggestion

You can pair it up with steamed vegetables, chicken shashlik, or Greek yogurt coleslaw.

Variations that you can try

Lemon Chicken Rice with Spinach - Add spinach while adding garlic and the seasoning. Sauté until the spinach leaves wilt. Add rice and broth. The rest of the process is the same.
Add more vegetables like carrots, broccoli, or corn.
Add some cheese - Once the rice is cooked sprinkle Greek feta cheese or any of your favorite cheese on top. Cover with the lid and set this aside. The cheese will melt with the heat of the rice.

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