Easy baked lemon chicken and rice

One pan baked lemon chicken and rice is a delicious, easy dinner recipe made in less than an hour from start to finish, with simple ingredients.

Ingredients needed

• Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on.
• Rice. I used Basmati rice.
• Onion. 
• Garlic.
• Lemon.
• Thyme.
• Paprika.
• Garlic powder.
• Chicken stock / water.

How to make chicken and rice

1. Season and cook the chicken: Season chicken thighs with paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper on both sides. Cook the thighs in a hot pan, skin-side down until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip over and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Prepare the rice: Saute the onion and garlic in the same pan until fragrant then add the rice, lemon zest, lemon juice and stock/water. Bring to a simmer then place the chicken back on top. Cover with a lid then place in the oven.
3. Bake: Bake the chicken and rice for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is fluffy and tender. Scatter over chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

What to serve with chicken and rice

1. Easy side salad with lemon dressing
2. Cucumber, tomato and red onion salad
3. Easy spicy garlic roasted broccoli

Freezing and storing

1. How long will this last? Covered, this recipe will last for 2-3 days in the fridge.
2. Can I freeze chicken and rice? Yes! Allow to cool then wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Heat from frozen in the oven until hot throughout.

What else can I add to this recipe?

If you wanted to stretch the dish a little further, add vegetables or chopped bacon to the onions before adding the rice. The following vegetables will all be delicious in this recipe:

• Mushrooms
• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Peas
• Carrots
• Green beans

Chicken recipes

1. Arroz con pollo
2. One pot tomato basil chicken rice
3. Crispy chicken thighs on cheesy broccoli rice