Faster Than a Speeding Bullet? This One Pot Recipe is Pretty Darned Close!

This Lemon Chicken Rice Bake has incredible lemon herb flavors, all done in ONE POT and super fast to prepare!

Want to replace the rice with Quinoa? Feel free! The cooking time is close to the same. Either way this one pot meal makes dinner time easy any day of the week.

LEMON CHICKEN RICE BAKE

Ingredients:

For Marinade

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine such as Sauvignon blanc or pinot ~OR~use 1/4 cup chicken broth.
• 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 8 chicken thighs with bone and skin

For Rice

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup rice long grain uncooked
• 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
• zest from 1 lemon
• lemon slices
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Directions:

1. In a ziploc bag combine with wine ( or chicken broth), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and chicken thighs. Shake the bag well and marinate for at least 20 minutes up to overnight.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet that’s oven safe.
4. Add the chicken thighs and cook on both sides until skin is golden brown and crispy. Make sure to reserve marinade. Chicken doesn’t have to be cooked through since it will continue cooking in the oven.
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
6. In the same skillet add the onion and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes just until the onion is soft and translucent.
7. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds just until it becomes aromatic.
8. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add the chicken broth, reserved marinade and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
10. Add the lemon zest, stir and bring to a boil.
11. Add the chicken back to the skillet on top of the rice, arrange lemon slices around the chicken and cover the skillet with a lid.
12. Bake covered for 20 minutes then remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes.
13. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Quick Tip: Feel free to swap out chicken thighs for boneless chicken breast as well. I know that there are many who are watching calories and on Weight Watchers. You can even do a mix of both.

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Jo and Jo Cooks.