Greek Chicken, Rice and Lemon Bake Recipe
This bake combines juicy chicken, rice and a lemon-herb broth in a single dish. In Greek homes, similar dishes are made when you need to feed the whole family with something simple yet aromatic. It’s a convenient oven dinner: you prepare everything in one dish and wait for the kitchen to fill with the scent of oregano.
All the flavors of a Greek-style lemon and herb chicken come together in one baking dish with rice that absorbs the aromatic stock. It’s low-effort comfort food: minimal prep, no separate side dish, and the oven takes care of the rest.
Chef's tips
Rinse the rice thoroughly – this is key to getting separate, fluffy grains instead of a sticky mass. If your oven tends to dry food out, you can add an extra splash of stock before baking or cover the dish for a bit longer. Use good-quality stock and fresh lemon; they make a big difference to the final flavor.
How to serve
Serve straight from the baking dish at the table so everyone can help themselves. Add lemon wedges on the side for those who like extra acidity. A dollop of thick Greek yogurt or tzatziki also pairs very well with the juicy chicken and rice.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs with skin and bone or boneless, as you prefer - 4 pieces
- rice white, long-grain, rinsed - 200 g
- chicken stock or vegetable stock - 450 ml
- lemon juice freshly squeezed - 3 tablespoons
- lemon zest finely grated, only the yellow part - 1 teaspoon
- onion finely diced - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 3 cloves
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- butter optional, for extra flavor - 15 g
- dried oregano - 1.5 teaspoons
- sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- parsley chopped leaves for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water until the water is almost clear to remove excess starch.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season them on both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and half of the oregano, gently rubbing the spices into the meat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs on both sides for 3–4 minutes, until the skin (if using) is golden. They don’t need to be cooked through; they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Transfer the thighs to a plate. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and slightly translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.
- Add the rinsed rice to the pan, mix with the onion and garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, until each grain is lightly coated with fat.
- Pour in the stock and lemon juice, add the lemon zest, the remaining oregano and the butter if using. Bring to a light simmer, taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Pour the contents of the pan into an ovenproof dish. Spread the rice in an even layer. Arrange the seared chicken thighs on top, skin side up.
- Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the cover and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is fully cooked through – when pierced, the juices should run clear.
- Remove the bake from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes so the rice can “relax” and stop cooking. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce w zamkniętym pojemniku. Przy podgrzewaniu w piekarniku dolej 2–3 łyżki wody lub bulionu, aby ryż nie był suchy. Możesz też zamrozić porcje, najlepiej bez kości, i podgrzać później w piekarniku pod przykryciem.
