One Pot Baked Greek Lemon Chicken & Rice
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Greek
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 Servings
 
Ingredients
For chicken marinate:
  • Chicken drumstick - 6, skin-on
  • Extra Virgin olive oil - 4 tbsp
  • Salt - 1 tsp
  • Freshly crushed black pepper - ½ tsp
  • Lemon juice - ¼ cup (please use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results)
For Rice:
  • Uncooked rice - 1 & ½ cups
  • Lemon juice - ¼ cup
  • Lemon peel - 1 (from 1 large lemon)
  • Bay leaf - 2
  • Garlic - 8 to 10 cloves, minced
  • Fresh rosemary - 2 sprigs
  • Dried oregano - 1 tsp
  • Chicken stock - 6 cups
  • Extra Virgin olive oil - 4 tbsp
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 180 C / 360 F and place the oven rack at the center of the oven.
  2. Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks. Take them in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of freshly crushed black pepper. Massage the oil and seasonings thoroughly into the chicken.
  3. Heat a large skillet, big enough to hold all the chicken drumsticks in a single layer (or you can sear them in batches). Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
  4. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken drumsticks in the pan and arrange in a single layer; this is important as otherwise the drumsticks will not sear properly and will not develop the golden brown color.
  5. Let the chicken sear on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes and meanwhile prepare the rice.
  6. Wash the rice in running water for 3 to 4 times until the water runs clear. This will ensure extra starch is washed off and your rice comes out fluffy.
  7. Take a large cast iron skillet or a large baking pan. Add washed rice, lemon peels, bay leaves, minced garlic, rosemary sprigs, dried oregano, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup of lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Give a good mix using a spoon.
  8. Now pour half of the chicken stock into the rice and give another mix; reserve the other half. Rice is ready. Let’s check on the chicken.
  9. The chicken drumsticks would have developed a nice golden brown color by now; you can flip them over and give a couple of minutes to the other side.
  10. Switch off the flame and add the last ¼ cup of lemon juice to the chicken to deglaze the pan. Give a quick shake to the pan.
  11. Now take one drumstick at a time and place it carefully over the rice. Make sure you arrange the drumsticks in a single layer.
  12. Once all the drumsticks are placed, pour the remaining chicken stock and ensure the liquid does not overflow.
  13. Now cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake the Greek lemon chicken and rice in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the rice turns golden and sizzling and all the liquid is absorbed.
  14. Your one pot baked Greek lemon chicken and rice is ready to serve. Serve it up with some extra drizzle of olive oil with 2 drumsticks per portion. Enjoy!
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://www.flavorquotient.com/2023/07/greek-lemon-chicken-rice-one-pot-baked/