One-Skillet Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice with Feta
Make a vibrant and flavorful Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice dish! This easy recipe features seasoned chicken thighs and fluffy lemon rice with tomatoes, spinach, chickpeas, and a fresh feta topping, mostly made in one skillet.
Ingredients
Based on 1x column)
Chicken:
- ▢ 1.5 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided, for chicken & rice)
Greek Lemon Rice:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil (remaining from above)
- ▢ 8 oz grape tomatoes, sliced in half (about 1.5 – 2 cups), divided
- ▢ 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 5 oz fresh spinach, chopped (about 4-5 packed cups)
- ▢ 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ▢ 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (cooled slightly or leftover)
- ▢ 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Feta Cheese Mixture:
- ▢ 6 oz feta cheese, diced into small cubes (about 1 1/4 cups)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano (add more to taste)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (optional)
Garnish:
- ▢ Fresh oregano sprigs or chopped leaves
Instructions
1. Prepare and Cook Rice (if needed):
- If you don’t have pre-cooked rice, cook about 1 cup of dry jasmine rice according to package directions to yield approximately 2-3 cups cooked. Set aside.
2. Season and Cook Chicken:
- Pat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season them generously on all sides with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper.
- Heat a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs in the hot skillet. Cook for 5 minutes on the first side, undisturbed, to get a nice sear. Important: Adjust heat if oil starts to burn; you want the flavorful drippings, not burnt bits.
- Flip the chicken thighs over. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover the skillet (if possible, or cook uncovered), and cook for about 5-10 more minutes on the other side, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C for breasts, or 175°F/80°C for thighs is even better for tenderness).
- Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate to rest. Leave the flavorful drippings in the skillet.
3. Start the Greek Lemon Rice:
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet with the chicken drippings over medium heat.
- Add half of the halved grape tomatoes, the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the skillet.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices.
4. Add Spinach, Rice, Chickpeas & Finish Rice:
- Stir the chopped fresh spinach into the skillet until it just begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
- Add the cooked jasmine rice and the drained, rinsed chickpeas to the skillet.
- Add the 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the remaining half of the uncooked halved grape tomatoes.
- Stir everything together gently to combine and reheat the rice and chickpeas over medium heat. If the mixture seems dry, add an optional extra tablespoon of olive oil or a tiny splash of water/broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
5. Make Feta Cheese Mixture:
- While the rice mixture heats, prepare the feta topping. In a medium bowl, combine the cubed feta cheese, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, and optional 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano.
- Mix gently so the herbs and olive oil coat the feta cubes.
6. Serve:
- Slice the rested cooked chicken thighs if desired.
- Serve the Greek lemon rice mixture warm in bowls or on plates.
- Top the rice with the sliced or whole chicken thighs.
- Spoon the fresh feta cheese mixture generously over the chicken and rice.
- Garnish with a few fresh oregano leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.