If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe to help you get through those busy weeknights, this One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe is a lifesaver. Cook bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a flavorful marinade with lots of lemon and oregano. The rice will then soak up all those delicious flavors, leaving it tender, fluffy, and, most importantly, with an amazing taste! Think of it as a Greek-inspired chicken recipe that the whole family will love!
Plus, you’ll have fewer dishes to wash at the end of the night. This recipe is sure to become a weeknight staple in your household.
*This post was sponsored by Balducci’s. All opinions are my own. I only support and promote brands that I believe in and use in my own kitchen – I hope you’ll check them out! Thank you for supporting the brands that make Well Seasoned possible.
Everything You’ll Need To Make This At Home
- Chicken thighs: You’ll need about 2 lbs of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Yes, you can absolutely use boneless skinless chicken thighs if that’s what you prefer, but the bone and skin-on will make it so much more flavorful.
- EVOO: To marinate the chicken, as well as brown it in a pan.
- Lemons: Lightens everything up and gives a delicate flavor to the dish.
- Oregano: A slightly earthy spice to give the whole meal some extra flavor.
- Sweet Paprika: A non spicy paprika made from bright, sweet red peppers.
- Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper: To season everything!
- Onion: Add it diced to make the meal more flavorful. Plus it soaks up that delicious chicken marinade!
- Long Grain White Rice: A fluffy and glutinous white rice.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Stock or dry white wine, to make the sauce.
- Water: To cook and steam the rice.
Cut the second zested lemon into rounds and use as garnish. We like to throw the slices in a hot, dry pan to char them a bit before serving!
Optional Fresh Garnishes: Oregano Leaves or Parsley.
Everything you need can be found at your local Balducci’s! And if you’re looking for a great Dutch oven that will last you a lifetime (seriously, you’ll never need to replace it), this is my favorite from Staub.
Make the One Pot Chicken and Rice
First, you’ll need to marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, Kosher salt, paprika, and black pepper. This can sit in a fridge for 30 minutes or overnight (up to 8 hours).
When you’re ready to cook, preheat an oven to 350F then heat a large Dutch oven (or other large deep pan with a tight fitting lid) over medium-high heat. When it’s really hot, add some oil, then cook the chicken, skin side down, until it’s a deep golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip the chicken, then cook on the other side.
Once the chicken is browned, transfer it to a plate while you sauté the onion and rice. Deglaze the pan with some chicken broth, then add in the remaining dried herbs. Give everything a good stir, bring the liquid to a boil, then return the chicken to the pan, cover and bake.
You’ll know the chicken and rice are done with the rice is tender, fluffy, and has absorbed all of the liquid. Serve with fresh oregano if you like and lots of lemon wedges or rounds.
How Long Will the Chicken and Rice Keep For?
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4 days.
Is Chicken And Rice Freezer-Friendly?
Yes, put the chicken and rice into a freezer-safe container or bag and seal it tightly. Label the container with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat the next day. Heat oven to 375F and cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Do I Need Fresh Oregano?
Certainly, you do not need to purchase fresh oregano simply for garnish, but we have some growing in our garden. It’s a beautiful and tasty addition! The marinade and the rice both call for dried oregano.
How to Serve
We love to serve this cozy chicken and rice with spanakopita spirals — think of these as a modern twist on the classic Greek spinach pie!
If you’re looking for a truly simple vegetable side dish, you might like to serve this with roasted broccoli, crispy Brussels sprouts, or our crazy easy arugula salad.
This one pot recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Not only does it taste amazing — it has a rich, deep flavor that we absolutely love — but it’ll have everyone at home wanting more! Make this tonight!
If you make this One Pot Chicken and Rice recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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More delicious chicken recipes to try!
- Pan Seared Chicken With Burst Tomatoes
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Braised Chicken Thighs
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Skillet Chicken with Anchovies
One Pot Chicken and Rice (GF, DF)
Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 4 or 5 chicken thighs
- 3 Tbsp EVOO
- 2 lemons zested plus the juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1¼ cups long grain white rice
- 1¾ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ¾ cup water
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh oregano and lemon wedges or slices optional garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then place in a bag with marinade ingredients: 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 lemons zested (about 2-3 tsp), juice from 1 lemon, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp sweet paprika, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Brown the chicken. Preheat an oven to 350F. Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp olive oil, then brown the chicken until the skin is crispy and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 4-5 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a large plate.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add diced onion to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 1¼ cups white rice, 1¾ cups chicken stock, ¾ cup water, 1 Tbsp dried oregano and ½ tsp Kosher salt, then stir well.
- Bake the chicken. Place chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin side up, then cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes. Check rice to see whether it’s fully cooked and liquid has absorbed. If not, return to the oven until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, checking it every 5 minutes. Serve with additional lemon slices and fresh oregano!
Notes
- Leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag and sealed tightly for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat the next day in oven at 375F and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
- Chicken and rice will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I use a whole chicken instead of just thighs and if i do should I double everything including rice
Hi Patricia! So the recipe is really okay as written for 6-8 thighs in terms of rice (it makes a LOT, because I love it so much and often end up serving the rice with other leftovers throughout the week). I think you’d 100% be fine to use a whole broken down chicken cut into smaller pieces. Having said that, I have not tested in this way, and in general chicken thighs and legs have a different cook time than breasts. Just make sure to have a meat thermometer on hand to check for doneness on the meat (should be an internal temp of 165F to be safe) and adjust the time accordingly. ENJOY and report back! xo, Ari
Could I use a whole cut up chicken (8 pieces) in this recipe instead of just the thighs?
Hi Shelley! I haven’t tested it this way, but I 100% expect this substitution would be just fine! Just note thighs and legs have a different cook time than breasts, so you’ll want to have a meat thermometer on hand to check for doneness on the meat (should be an internal temp of 165F to be safe) and adjust the time accordingly. ENJOY and report back! Bone-in chicken is WAY more forgiving than boneless (regardless of the cut), so you’re in less danger of overcooking the meat. ENJOY and report back! xo, Ari