This easy one-pot recipe for Lemon Chicken Rice Bake is a scrumptious dish made entirely from scratch and sure to please a crowd.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I mean, who doesn’t love a good chicken dish? And it doesn’t get any better than this simple oven-baked chicken and rice meal! Juicy, tender and flavorful chicken cooked with lemony rice. It is a complete, one-pot meal everyone will love!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using chicken that’s on the bone adds a rich deep flavor that you won’t get with boneless chicken.
- Onion, garlic, herbs and white wine add layers of flavor that go perfectly with the lemon and chicken.
- The lemon zest adds a wealth of lemon flavor and finishing with lemon juice adds brightness without the bitterness that sometimes comes with cooking the juice.
Getting The Recipe Right
I’ve seen a lot of recipes for baked chicken and rice that throw all of the ingredients into the pan raw and then it bakes it in the oven. I don’t have to try it to know that recipes like that will lack flavor and the ingredients will not cook evenly. You need to start with hot liquid for the rice to cook well and to build flavor, ingredients like onions and garlic – they need to be sauteed. So this recipe may be a little extra work, but I promise, it won’t lack flavor!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Chicken: This recipe calls for chicken thighs on the bone. I’ve made this recipe with the skin on and off (the step-by-step photos have the skin on the main photo has the skin removed). Both times it tasted great, but the skin did add a little grease to the dish. See the How to Use Other Chicken Cuts section below for instructions on using breasts, and boneless chicken.
- Rice: Parboiled long-grain white rice is perfect for this dish as it tends to stay firm longer, but any long-grain white rice that has a cook time on the package of 15 to 20 minutes will work. See the How To Use Different Types of Rice section on how to alter the recipe for the rice you want to use.
- Wine: Any white wine is fine for cooking. If you don’t have wine you can replace it with vermouth or just add extra stock (like for like)
- Lemon: Always use fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice often has an artificial taste and can ruin the flavor of your dish. Plus, the fresh lemon zest adds a lot of lemon flavor.
- Herbs: I use dried oregano and fresh parsley for this recipe, but you can also use fresh thyme or rosemary in their place.
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare the lemons for juicing by rolling them under your palm on the counter a few times. Then zest the lemon enough to produce 2 tablespoons of zest.
Then juice the lemons. Set the zest and juice aside until needed and cut the remnants into quarters.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter with the oil in the pan. Sautee the onion in oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Pour in the wine and stock, and add herbs, lemon zest, and lemons. Season with salt and pepper and then add the chicken to the pan. Bake covered for 30 minutes. If your pan doesn’t have a lid, carefully cover it with foil.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add the rice. If it’s easier, you can remove the chicken and place it back in, but I was able to work around it. You just want to spread the rice evenly around the pan.
Cover with the pan lid (or foil) and bake another 20 minutes. Then check the chicken and the rice for doneness. If the chicken is cooked (with an internal temperature of 170 to 175°F/ 76 to 79°C), but the rice, is still too hard, remove it and let it rest while the rice finishes cooking.
You’re looking for firm rice that’s absorbed most of the liquid (see photo below) so if it needs longer, only cook it for another 5 minutes before checking it again – there’s nothing worse than mushy rice!
Let rest for 5-10 minutes to cool. If you haven’t already, remove the chicken and lemon wedges from the pan. Taste for seasoning, add salt as needed and drizzle with the fresh lemon juice. Fluff the rice, mixing in the lemon.
Top with the chicken to serve and enjoy every last bite!
Pan Recommendations
To keep this recipe a one pan meal, use an oven safe, 11 to 12″ (27 to 30cm) skillet that’s at least 4″/10cm deep. A 3.6 quart Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Pan or a 3 to 4 quart Dutch oven will also work well. Your pan doesn’t have to have a lid as you can use foil to cover the pan.
A good rule of thumb to tell if a pan is oven safe is if the pan is all metal (with metal handles) it’s typically fine for the oven. If your pan has plastic, silicon, or wood handles, it’s best to check the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure it’s oven safe.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can use a pan to start on the stove and then transfer it to a 9×13″ roasting pan.
How to Use Different Cuts of Chicken
This recipe calls for bone-in skinless chicken thighs, but it can be adjusted for other cuts of chicken by following the instructions below.
Bone-In Skin On Chicken Thighs: As you can see in the photos, I made this with the skin on, which worked, but I did have to place it under the broiler after cooking to crisp the skin enough to look good in the photos. If you don’t want to have to crisp the skin, I suggest removing it first. But if you want to use it follow the steps below for best results.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof, deep skillet over high heat. Add chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan & drain the excess fat. Then follow the recipe. You may not need to add any additional oil to the pan in step 2 of the recipe. For crispier skin, transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and place it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Bone-in Skinless Chicken Breasts & Mixed Cuts: Bake covered for 15 minutes before adding the rice, then bake another 15 minutes or until the white meat’s internal temperature reaches 160°F/71°C degrees and the dark meat registers 170 to 175°F/ 76 to 79°C.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs: Follow the instructions in the recipe, but instead of cooking the chicken first, add the rice to the stock and then top with the chicken and cook together for 20-25 minutes.
To Use Precooked or leftover chicken: Bake the rice in the stock and add the chicken for the last 10 minutes of cooking. It won’t taste as flavorful, but it is still a good dish.
How To Use Different Types of Rice
This recipe calls for long-grain rice. I recommend the parboiled variety, but you can also use other types of rice too. See the guide below for recipe adjustments.
- Jasmine or Basmati Rice: Adjust the recipe to use 4 cups of stock. Cook the chicken in the stock for 20 minutes and then bake with the rice for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Please note that the chicken may have to cook longer than the rice so it may have to be transferred to a separate pan for the last stages of cooking.
- Brown Rice: Increase the stock to 5½ cups. Bake in the stock covered without the chicken for 30 minutes, add the chicken, and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the rice is tender. You may have to remove the chicken from the pan once it’s cooked to allow the rice to finish cooking.
- Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano (Risotto Rice): Increase the stock to 5½ cups. Follow the recipe instructions, but don’t add the rice to the pan. Cook the chicken in the stock for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, mix in the rice and bake covered until the rice is cooked 15 to 20 minutes. Please note that the rice will be more like risotto with a wetter consistency and the chicken may have to cook longer than the rice so it may have to be transferred to a separate pan for the last stages of cooking.
- Quick cook rices are not suitable for this recipe.
Storing Leftovers 🍲
In the Fridge: Refrigerate the cooked dish for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Tips & Variations
- Chicken thighs come in many different sizes so cooking times may vary. Use a meat thermometer and check after 25 minutes. If the chicken cooks faster than the rice, just remove it from the pan and let it rest while the rice finishes cooking.
- Be sure to bring the stock to a boil before baking, this ensures the rice cooks evenly and completely in the oven.
- Be sure to save the lemon juice until the end. Lemon juice can become bitter when cooked.
FAQs
Yes, you can, often it can be a good idea to brown the chicken first but in the above recipe, this isn’t necessary.
Did you make this?
Stay Updated
Receive new recipes & dinner ideas straight to your inbox!
Let’s Make Lemon Chicken Rice Bake
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper To taste.
- 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 6 tablespoons garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 2 cups long grain white rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the lemons for juicing by rolling them under your palm on the counter a few times. Then zest the lemon enough to produce 2 tablespoons of zest. Then juice the lemons. Set the zest and juice aside until needed and cut the remnants into quarters.
- In an oven safe skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until trandsulent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the wine, stock, oregano, parsley, lemon zest, lemon wedges, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken to the pan. Bake covered for 30 minutes. If your pan doesn’t have a lid, carefully cover it with foil.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add the rice and spread it evenly around the pan.
- Cover with the pan lid (or foil) and bake another 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and check the chicken and the rice for doneness. If the chicken is cooked (with an internal temperature of 170 to 175°F/ 76 to 79°C), but the rice, is still too hard, remove it and let it rest while the rice finishes cooking. If they both need to longer return to the oven and check again after 5 minutes.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes to cool. Remove the chicken and lemon wedges from the pan. Taste for seasoning, add salt as needed and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the fresh lemon juice. Fluff the rice, mixing in the lemon. Taste to see if you want to add the rest of the lemon and add more as needed.
- Add the chicken back to the pan to serve.
Tips + Notes
- Chicken thighs come in many different sizes so cooking times may vary. Use a meat thermometer and check after 25 minutes. If the chicken cooks faster than the rice, just remove it from the pan and let it rest while the rice finishes cooking.
- Be sure to bring the stock to a boil before baking, this ensures the rice cooks evenly and completely in the oven.
- Be sure to save the lemon juice until the end. Lemon juice can become bitter when cooked.
Debby Zeman says
Finally a chicken and rice dish that works! So many recipes take shortcuts that result in mushy or under cooked rice! This was perfect!
Erren Hart says
I love to hear that! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!!
Heather says
Oh my, this was just perfect! I loved it so much I can’t wait to make it again!
Erren Hart says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Maggie says
I made this and it was a very tasty dinner! I was glad it wasn’t all dumped in a cold pan because I’ve done that before and it was so mushy! This was perfect!
Erren Hart says
Lovely to hear! Thanks for the terrific feedback!
Joanie says
Super easy and super tasty. It was a hit and my kids loved it!
Erren Hart says
Yay! So amazing to hear! Thanks for letting me know!
Ronda Brown says
I made this last night for dinner. Very good and easy to make. It was a hit with my picky eaters!
Erren Hart says
Yay! So glad to hear you all liked it! 🙂
Marty says
I made this tonight, total hit! Thank you for the detailed instructions, makes all the difference
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you so much Marty, I love to hear this 🙂