There’s something incredibly satisfying about a one-pan meal that delivers on every level. It feels resourceful, efficient, and when the results are this good, it’s a genuine kitchen victory. This lemon chicken and rice recipe is just that – a complete, flavour-packed dinner made in a single skillet. We’re talking succulent chicken thighs with gorgeously crisp skin, fluffy rice that has soaked up all the zesty lemon and savoury chicken stock, and a vibrant scattering of fresh parsley to finish. If you enjoy our Creamy Chicken And Rice Recipe, you’ll appreciate the brighter, zesty character of this dish.

I find myself turning to this recipe again and again. This is my go-to recipe when I need something that feels a little bit special without requiring hours of effort or a mountain of washing up. The magic happens as the rice cooks directly in the pan with the chicken, absorbing all the delicious rendered fat and chicken juices, creating a foundation of flavour that you simply can’t replicate by cooking them separately. The bright, sharp aroma of lemon cutting through the rich, savoury notes is just wonderful.

It’s a dish that works beautifully for a midweek family dinner but is special enough for a casual weekend lunch with friends. Everyone seems to love the combination of tender chicken and fragrant, lemony rice. It’s wholesome, satisfying, and feels like a real treat.

Recipe Overview

This Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe is a beautiful one-pan dish where zesty and savoury notes come together harmoniously. The chicken is seared until golden and crisp before simmering gently atop a bed of aromatic basmati rice. The rice soaks up chicken stock, fresh lemon, and garlic, becoming unbelievably flavourful. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got it just right—the key was using both lemon zest and juice for a brighter, more rounded citrus flavour that permeates every single grain of rice.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: The combination of sharp, fresh lemon, pungent garlic, and earthy oregano, all absorbed by the fluffy basmati rice and tender chicken, creates a truly memorable taste. It’s fresh, savoury, and deeply comforting.
• Ready in About 40 Minutes: From start to finish, this entire meal comes together in under an hour, with most of that being hands-off simmering time. It’s brilliant for busy evenings.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is a great canvas. Feel free to stir in a large handful of baby spinach at the end until it wilts, or add 150g of frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. You could even swap the parsley for fresh dill for a different aromatic twist.
• Great for a Weeknight Dinner: It’s ideal when you want a substantial yet uplifting meal. We often have it on a Friday night to kick off the weekend, but it’s straightforward enough for any night of the week, much like our popular Easy Ground Beef Tacos Recipe.
• Family Tested: My family adores this dish. The clean plates and requests for the crispy bits of rice stuck to the bottom of the pan are always a good sign! It always gets compliments.

Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 40 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

We’re using simple, fresh ingredients here. Quality really matters, especially with the lemons, as their flavour is central to the dish. I always try to use unwaxed lemons since we’re using the zest, which carries so much aromatic oil.

• 4 large chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (approx. 800g total)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 300g basmati rice
• 800ml hot chicken stock (from a cube or fresh)
• 2 lemons (zest of 2, juice of 1)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 knob of butter (about 15g)
• 30g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Marcus’s Tip: Rinsing your basmati rice until the water runs clear is a non-negotiable step for me. It removes the excess surface starch and is the secret to getting that perfectly fluffy, separate-grain texture every time. There’s a great deal of food science behind why rinsing rice works, but all you need to know is that it makes a huge difference.

How to Make This Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe

The process is straightforward. We build layers of flavour in one pan, starting with the chicken and finishing with the fresh herbs. This method not only tastes better but also means significantly less washing up!

1. Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with a paper towel. This is crucial for getting that skin wonderfully crisp. Season them generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or casserole dish with a lid over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 5-7 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. There should be a good amount of rendered chicken fat in the pan – don’t discard it! Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Toast the Rice: Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice to the pan. Stir it constantly for about a minute, ensuring all the grains are coated in the fat and aromatics. This toasting step enhances the nutty flavour of the rice.
5. Add the Liquids: Pour in the hot chicken stock, the juice of one lemon, and the zest from both lemons. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan – that’s pure flavour!
6. Simmer Together: Bring the liquid to a lively simmer. What works best for me is to nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, on top of the rice. This helps keep that hard-earned crispy skin from getting soggy.
7. Cover and Cook: Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let it cook for 18-20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time! You want to trap all that steam inside to cook the rice perfectly.
8. Rest and Finish: After 18-20 minutes, turn off the heat completely and let the pan stand, still covered, for another 5-10 minutes. This resting period is essential for the rice to absorb the last of the steam and become fluffy.
9. Serve: Uncover the pan. Add the knob of butter and the chopped fresh parsley. Use a fork to gently fluff the rice, incorporating the butter and parsley. Serve immediately, with a lemon wedge on the side for squeezing over.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Don’t Skip the Sear: Getting a deep golden-brown crust on the chicken skin not only makes it delicious to eat but also renders fat into the pan, which then flavours the onions and rice. It’s a foundational step.
• The Secret Step: Don’t peek! Once the lid is on, trust the process. Lifting the lid releases steam, which can disrupt the cooking process and lead to unevenly cooked rice. The final rest off the heat is just as important. I learned that this is where the magic happens for perfectly tender grains.
• Make-Ahead: While this dish is best served fresh, you can get a head start. Chop your onion, mince the garlic, and zest/juice the lemons in the morning. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge to make evening prep even faster.
• Storage: Leftovers keep brilliantly. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I find it’s best to add a splash of water or chicken stock to a pan, add the chicken and rice, cover, and warm through gently over a low heat. This helps to re-steam the rice.

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need any highly specialised gear for this recipe, which is part of its charm. Here is what I use:

• Large frying pan or skillet with a tight-fitting lid (at least 30cm)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Mixing bowls
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Tongs for turning the chicken

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: When you first sear the chicken, make sure the thighs have plenty of space. If they are too close together, they will steam instead of fry, and you won’t get that beautifully crisp skin. If your pan isn’t large enough, sear the chicken in two batches.
• Simmering too aggressively: Once you add the stock and rice, the heat needs to be low. A gentle simmer is all you need. If it’s boiling too hard, the liquid will evaporate before the rice has a chance to cook through, leaving you with crunchy, undercooked grains.
• Skipping the rest time: I’ve mentioned it a few times, but it bears repeating! That final 5-10 minute rest off the heat is when the rice finishes cooking and becomes perfectly fluffy. Skipping it can result in slightly wet or unevenly cooked rice.

What to Serve With This Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe

This is a wonderful all-in-one meal, but if you want to add a bit of green, here are a few ideas that work very well:

• A Simple Green Salad: A bowl of rocket or mixed leaves with a sharp lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness beautifully.
• Steamed Asparagus or Green Beans: A side of simple steamed greens, perhaps tossed with a little butter and salt, adds a lovely freshness and crunch.
• Wine Pairing: This dish pairs wonderfully with a crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or an Italian Pinot Grigio. Their citrus notes complement the lemon in the dish.
• A Zesty Dessert: To continue the theme, a light and bright dessert like our Lemon Crumb Bars would be a delightful way to finish the meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lemon Chicken Rice Recipe

A delicious one-pan meal featuring crispy, golden-brown chicken thighs nestled in a bed of fluffy, lemon-infused basmati rice with fresh parsley.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 655

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 large chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on (approx. 800g total)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 300 g basmati rice
• 800 ml hot chicken stock from a cube or fresh
• 2 lemons zest of 2, juice of 1
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 knob of butter about 15g
• 30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with a paper towel. This is crucial for getting that skin wonderfully crisp. Season them generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or casserole dish with a lid over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 5-7 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. There should be a good amount of rendered chicken fat in the pan – don't discard it! Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Toast the Rice: Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice to the pan. Stir it constantly for about a minute, ensuring all the grains are coated in the fat and aromatics. This toasting step enhances the nutty flavour of the rice.
5. Add the Liquids: Pour in the hot chicken stock, the juice of one lemon, and the zest from both lemons. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan – that's pure flavour!
6. Simmer Together: Bring the liquid to a lively simmer. What works best for me is to nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, on top of the rice. This helps keep that hard-earned crispy skin from getting soggy.
7. Cover and Cook: Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let it cook for 18-20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time! You want to trap all that steam inside to cook the rice perfectly.
8. Rest and Finish: After 18-20 minutes, turn off the heat completely and let the pan stand, still covered, for another 5-10 minutes. This resting period is essential for the rice to absorb the last of the steam and become fluffy.
9. Serve: Uncover the pan. Add the knob of butter and the chopped fresh parsley. Use a fork to gently fluff the rice, incorporating the butter and parsley. Serve immediately, with a lemon wedge on the side for squeezing over.

Notes

For the best crispy skin, ensure the chicken thighs are patted completely dry. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I truly hope this Lemon Chicken Rice recipe brings a little bit of sunshine to your dinner table. It’s one of those reliable dishes that never fails to satisfy and proves that you don’t need a complicated recipe to create something genuinely delicious. If you give it a go, please drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you. Happy cooking!

Cheers,
Marcus