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Cozy Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice: Easy 5-Ingredient One-Pan

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This cozy lemon garlic chicken and rice is a simple, one-pan meal that comes together in under an hour with just five core ingredients. It’s comfort food reimagined—simpler, faster, but with the same soul-soothing satisfaction.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs / 680g)
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice (300g), rinsed
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 2 lemons (zest and juice of 1, the other sliced)
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (720 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for seasoning chicken)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
  • Optional garnish: fresh parsley or dill, chopped

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Mince the garlic. Zest one lemon, then juice it into a small bowl. Slice the second lemon into thin rounds. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear—about 30 seconds. Shake off the excess water.
  2. Season and brown the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in your large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan—if you are using a smaller skillet, work in batches. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip and brown the other side for …
  3. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. There should be about 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. If there is more, pour off the excess. If there is less, add a splash more olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let it burn.
  4. Toast the rice. Add the rinsed rice to the pan with the garlic. Stir it around for 1-2 minutes, coating every grain in the garlic-infused oil. The rice will start to look slightly translucent at the edges.
  5. Add the liquid and lemon. Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add the 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the rice, skin-side up. Tuck the lemon slices in between the chicken pieces.
  6. Bring to a simmer, then cover. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a full boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan tightly with the lid, and let it simmer gently. Do not lift the lid during cooking. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
  7. Rest and fluff. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but do not remove the lid. Let the pan sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the lid. The rice should be tender and fluffy, and the chicken should be cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C). Fluff the rice gently with a fork, being careful not to break up the chicken too much.
  8. Serve immediately. Spoon the rice onto plates or a large platter, top with the chicken and lemon slices, and garnish with fresh parsley or dill if using.

Notes

Do not skip browning the chicken—it adds incredible depth. Keep the lid on during cooking to ensure perfect rice. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes after cooking for best texture. For vegetarian version, swap chicken for haloumi or tofu and use vegetable broth. For spicy version, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic. For creamy version, stir in ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk at the end.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon garlic chicken, one-pan chicken and rice, easy chicken dinner, 5-ingredient recipe, comfort food, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/cozy-lemon-garlic-chicken-and-rice-easy-5-ingredient-one-pan/