One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice

Once you’ve tried this One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice you will understand why you need to add it to your permanent dinner rotation.

Featuring pan seared chicken thighs smothered in a classic Greek marinade and baked in one skillet with lemony garlic rice for an incredibly flavorful meal.

We love how the marinade ensures the juiciest, tastiest Mediterranean flavored chicken with crispy skin and the rice gets cooked to utter perfection with chicken broth, garlic, lemon juice and herbs.

Everyone who tastes this healthy dish is guaranteed to love it and you can easily prepare on a weeknight or savor on a Sunday evening.

Looking for more Greek dinner ideas? Check out my Greek Lamb Chops or Authentic Pastitsio.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED?

HOW TO MAKE ONE POT GREEK CHICKEN AND RICE

Step 1 – Add all chicken marinade ingredients (except for chicken thighs) to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Then place chicken thighs in a large ziplock bag and pour in marinade, massage bag to combine everything. Marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 2 – Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove chicken from fridge to come to room temp while preheating oven.

Step 3 – In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Transfer chicken thighs to skillet, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside. Discard excess fat and brown bits from skillet.

Step 4 – Turn heat down to medium-low and add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and soft. Add 1 cup washed long grain rice and stir to cook for a couple of minutes. Then add 2 cups chicken broth, juice from 1 lemon, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

Step 5 – Bring rice to a light boil and let simmer for 30 seconds. Transfer chicken thighs to the skillet and arrange on top of the rice with some room in-between each. Cover the skillet with a lid and transfer to preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes.

Step 6 – After 30 minutes,remove the lid and continue to bake in the oven for 10 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165 F). If desired, broil for 2-3 minutes longer for extra color and crispiness.

Step 7 – Remove from oven and let Greek chicken and rice rest for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra lemon slices.

WHAT’S THE BEST KIND OF POT/PAN/SKILLET TO USE?

Since the benefit of this recipe is getting to make everything in one pot/pan/skillet you will want to ensure you utilize your best option.

When making Greek chicken and rice you want a large pan that is at least 12-inches (preferably deep) and is oven-proof with a lid.

We recommend using a deep cast iron skillet, like this one from Amazon.

If you don’t have a cast iron pan/pot/skillet, don’t worry. You can always use another large skillet that is oven-proof.

Although this would defeat the one pot element of this recipe you can always sear the chicken and get the rice started (steps 1-5) in a pan over the stove then transfer everything to an oven safe dish for the baking portion of the recipe.

RECIPE VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Everyone says this is the best Greek chicken and rice they’ve ever had but of course you can make substitutions or variations to the recipe to suit your own needs.

Below are some ideas:

• Cut of chicken – use drumsticks, whole or half chicken, or chicken breast. Be mindful of adjusting cook times and we recommend sticking to cuts of meat that have bone-in and skin-on for best results.
• Herbs – use other herbs such as basil, fresh oregano, fresh thyme or rosemary.
• Spices – make your Greek chicken and rice spicy by adding chili flakes or cayenne pepper.
• Rice – use different types of rice like basmati, brown or jasmine.
• Vegetables – add vegetables to your Greek chicken and rice such as zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, spinach or kale.
• Broth – use bouillon cubes mixed with water or swap broth for vegetable or beef broth if needed.
• Protein – use shrimp, pork, lamb, salmon or cod.
• Vegetarian – swap broth for vegetable broth and sub protein for tofu, chickpeas or beyond/vegan meat.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH GREEK CHICKEN AND RICE

This is a hearty and filling meal all on its own but is nice when paired with some vegetables such as a fresh mixed green salad or roasted asparagus.

Other serving options:

• Mediterranean Green Beans
• Greek Salad
• Vegetable Briam
• Spanakopita
• Zucchini patties

MAKE AHEAD, STORING AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS

Make ahead: prepare and marinate chicken up to 1 day ahead.

Storing: let Greek chicken and rice cool then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven (350 F for 10-15 minutes), microwave or stovetop until warmed through.

Freezing: store leftovers in a freezer friendly container and keep for 1-2 months. You’ll want to let it thaw overnight in the fridge before you want to reheat it in the oven.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

• 12-inch ovenproof skillet with lid
• Lemon juicer
• Lemon zester
• Garlic press
• Large ziplock bags

RECIPE FAQ’S

MORE GREEK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Traditional Moussaka
• Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki
• Spatchcock Chicken and Lemon Potatoes

RECIPE VIDEO

Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!