Description
Souvlaki-style Greek Chicken with Lemon Rice delivers Mediterranean comfort straight to your dinner table. Tender marinated chicken nestles on a bed of zesty rice, bringing Greece’s sunshine-filled flavors right into your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
Seasoning and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- Salt
- Pepper
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 large lemon (juice and zest)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper over 1.5 pounds chicken thighs. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet at medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Lay chicken skin-side down in the skillet. Sear for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook another 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a separate plate.
- Drop finely chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves into the same skillet. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions turn translucent and fragrant.
- Add 1 cup long-grain rice to the skillet. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes, coating rice with pan drippings and allowing slight toasting.
- Pour 2.5 cups chicken broth, juice from 1 large lemon, and zest of 1 lemon into the skillet. Gently stir to combine ingredients.
- Return chicken thighs to the skillet, positioning skin-side up. Ensure rice surrounds the meat evenly.
- Cover skillet with foil. Transfer to a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C). Bake covered for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until rice becomes tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley across the dish. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld.
Notes
- Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes to ensure deep flavor penetration into the meat.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the brightest, most authentic Greek taste in your rice and chicken.
- Select bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum tenderness and rich, juicy results.
- When cooking rice, keep the lid on and resist stirring to help create a perfect fluffy texture with crispy bottom layer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg