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Mediterranean Chicken and Rice

Mediterranean chicken and rice baked with lemon-herb marinated chicken thighs and fluffy rice infused with chicken broth. Golden skin, olives and cherry tomatoes, and feta melted into the grains create a one-pan oven chicken rice dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
salt
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste
long-grain white rice
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
chicken broth
  • 3 cup chicken broth
cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes
Kalamata olives
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives, halved
feta cheese
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
fresh parsley
  • 1 Fresh parsley and lemon wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, then coat the chicken in the mixture and marinate for 20 minutes. The marinade should look evenly glossy over the skin before you set the chicken aside.
Bake one-pan lemon herb chicken rice
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, then spread the long-grain white rice in a 9x13 baking dish. Spread it into an even layer so the grains cook uniformly.
  2. Pour chicken broth over the rice, then add a pinch of salt and stir. You should see the rice grains turn slightly opaque where the broth reaches.
  3. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice and tuck them down so they’re partially embedded. Keep the skin facing upward for browning.
  4. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and halved Kalamata olives around the chicken. Spread them across the dish so each serving has some fruit and olive pieces.
  5. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F. Look for steady bubbling around the edges of the rice once it’s hot.
  6. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes at 375°F until the chicken skin is golden and the rice is cooked. The top should be visibly browned and the rice should look tender with no dry patches.
Finish and serve
  1. Immediately crumble feta over the hot dish. The feta should soften on contact and streak into the rice.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges. The bright green parsley and yellow lemon wedges should be clearly visible on top.

Notes

For best flavor, pat excess marinade back onto the chicken before baking so the lemon-herb coating doesn’t fall into the dish. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days. Freezing: yes, freeze portions for up to 2 months, then reheat until piping hot. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat feta (or less feta) to reduce calories without changing the one-pan method.