Lemon Chicken and Rice

Like spaghetti and meatballs, burgers and fries, or fish and chips, chicken and rice pair well together. Cultures worldwide have been serving up the combination of chicken and rice for centuries. This lemon chicken and rice recipe taps into Mediterranean and Southeast Asian flavors. But is the chicken or rice making this delicious one-pot casserole so special?

Marinated in lemon juice with garlic, ginger and soy sauce, the chicken is juicy and bursting with peppery, citrus flavors. The rice gets steamed in the marinade and combines with the juices of the baking chicken, making the scent alone enough to lift your spirits. So which is it? The only thing for sure is that this lemon chicken and rice dish will be an enormous hit when it appears on the dinner table.

Ingredients for Lemon Chicken and Rice

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

• Water: Rice needs a good amount of liquid to absorb during baking. Chicken stock is a flavorful substitute, especially when you have some homemade broth or stock on hand.
• Soy sauce: A staple ingredient in Asian cooking, soy sauce brings a strong umami flavor to this recipe.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is the crucial ingredient in this recipe, creating a brightness that adds balance to the ginger and garlic, while giving the dish its namesake flavor.
• Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds fruitiness to the marinade and balances out the acids to aid in tenderizing the chicken. Choose a good quality olive oil to use with this recipe.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds flavor, aroma and some health benefits to chicken and rice.  
• Ginger: Ground ginger adds a peppery zing and warmth to the dish. You can substitute fresh ginger, which will impart more of a gingery flavor, but you’ll need to use 1 tablespoon of fresh, grated ginger for every 1/4 teaspoon of ground.
• Pepper: Fresh ground black pepper is always a great counterpart to savory lemon dishes.
• Chicken: Chicken thighs are darker meat with a greater fat content. We like them for this dish because they impart more flavor to the rice when cooking and are less likely to get overcooked or become dry than a leaner cut.
• Rice: Long-grain rice such as basmati or jasmine are excellent options for this lemony chicken and rice recipe.
• Lemons: Lemons, are both zested and sliced to provide maximum citrus flavor in this recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

In a large shallow dish add the water, soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger and ground pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Add the chicken thighs to the dish, flipping over to make sure they are well coated. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Step 2: Assemble the chicken and rice

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease two 13×9-in baking dishes and add 1 cup of rice to each dish. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place eight thighs in each baking dish. Pour half the marinade over the thighs in each dish. Sprinkle with half the lemon zest and top with the sliced lemons.

Step 3: Bake the chicken and rice

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

Tightly cover each baking dish with foil and place into the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reaches 170° to 175°. Remove the dishes from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest. Serve and receive accolades.

Lemon Chicken and Rice Variations

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

• Add herbs: Fresh thyme and oregano will bring more Mediterranean flavors to this dish.
• Use white wine: Add some white wine to the marinade for a brighter, sharper, fruit-forward taste.
• Go paleo: Make it grain-free by replacing the rice with cauliflower rice.
• Add spinach or broccoli: Chop some fresh spinach or broccoli, or add frozen versions to this recipe for additional flavor, color and vitamins.

How to Store Lemon and Chicken Rice

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Add a splash of water or broth and reheat in the microwave or oven at 325º until heated through.

Can you freeze lemon chicken and rice?

While it’s possible to freeze this dish, the texture of the rice will change after it has undergone freezing and thawing and can become mushy. As a result, we don’t recommend freezing lemony chicken and rice.

Lemon Chicken and Rice Tips

Emily Davis for Taste of Home

Can I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs?

Definitely. We recommend searing the chicken thighs in a hot skillet before adding them to the casserole dish. Additionally, when adding the marinade, surround the thighs with the liquid, keeping the seared skin dry so it will remain crisp when baked uncovered.

How can I make the sauce creamier?

Try mixing in some heavy cream before the uncovered baking stage. This will make the sauce creamy but allow the rice to absorb the thinner liquid first so it doesn’t become undercooked or mushy.

Is this dish gluten-free?

Not in its present form. Soy sauce contains wheat, which is not safe for people with gluten sensitivity. However, Lemon chicken and rice can easily be made into a gluten-free option simply by substituting the soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos.