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Tangy, creamy, and comforting, One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice is an easy weeknight dinner that will become a family favorite!
I’m back, y’all! Thanks for you patience and support as I took a little hiatus from recipe creating to adjust to in-person teaching. Boy, has this all been a rollercoaster of emotions.
It feels great to be on my college campus again, but it’s an exhausting transition. Teaching with a mask on in any kind of compelling way is a challenge (though a necessity), and I feel absolutely drained by the end of the day. But I’m just grateful that I get to actually socialize with my colleagues and students in a normal(ish) way again.
One of the best parts of this whole transition is getting back into a solid eating routine. I have to think ahead to my meals instead of just grabbing what was around between Zoom sessions.
This has made me realize again how much a weekend meal prep and/or an easy weeknight one-pot dish can really change the course of my weekly goals. I’ve made this recipe for the past three weeks because it is perfect for prep and/or dinner!
The chicken turns out so juicy, and the rice is cooked to perfection. The browned onions and garlic add tons of flavor, while the parmesan adds just a tinge of creaminess that almost makes the rice taste a little like a risotto.
Buon appetito!
How to make one-pan lemon chicken and rice
The first trick is to make sure you buy a good quality long-grain rice. I like to buy jasmine or basmati rice from my local halal market, but go with whatever you an easily find. The “Asian Foods” aisle in your local grocery store will work just fine.
For the chicken, I go with whatever is on sale. If I can find chicken cutlets–thinly-sliced chicken breasts–on sale, then I’ll pick those up to make my life easier.
If those are too expensive, I’ll buy two large chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise. Sometimes, you’ll need to pound them out to make them all an even thickness.
Oh, FYI–the dish will look way too watery when you add your seared chicken back in.
Don’t worry! The rice will soak up all of those lovely juices and get perfectly fluffy. And definitely wait to add the lemon juice until AFTER the rice is cooked through. If you add the lemon juice too early, it will become bitter and pretty much ruin the rice.
Other than those tips, just follow the directions for an easy meal!
I love including the chopped spinach for some added nutrients that no one can detect. I’m usually not a huge fan of cooked spinach, but you really can’t taste it in this. Perfect for sneaking in veggies for the kids and those veggie-phobic adults!
Look at how creamy and perfectly cooked that rice comes out…
reheating leftovers
As I mentioned, these leftovers are SO GOOD. It’s a great lunch prep recipe. I find that the chicken and rice reheat great in the microwave in just 30-45 seconds. I like to add some green beans on the side.
You could also turn this into a creative fried rice to re-envision it as another dinner later in the week. Chop up the extra chicken. Add some mixed frozen veggies to your skillet, along with some sesame oil.
Stir fry in a couple of whisked eggs, add in your rice, and sauté. Stir in some soy sauce and your leftover chicken. Fried Rice reimagined!
Please let me know if you get creative with your leftovers! I’d love some new ideas.
More recipes like One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice
If you’re looking for more one-pan meals, check out these other great recipes:
- Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Rice Skillet
- Lazy Fried Rice
- Arroz con Pollo
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! Leaving a starred review and comment below helps my blog grow. I’m always grateful when you can take the time to do that!
It also makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there!
One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice
Tangy, creamy, and comforting, One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice is an easy weeknight dinner that will become a family favorite!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 392kcal
Author: Geri
Ingredients
- 2 medium lemons, zested and juiced (2 tsp zest and 1/4 cup juice, divided between the chicken and rice stages identified below)
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (or 4 chicken cutlets)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE RICE
- 1 1 /4 cup long grain white rice
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, minced (optional)
Instructions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high. Rub 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice over the chicken. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme.
Spray pan with cooking spray. Sear chicken until brown but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan to a plate.
In the same pan, lower heat to medium and add onion. Sauté until slightly browed, about 4-5 minutes.
Mix in rice, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, and salt. Stir and sauté until rice is coated with mixture and slightly translucent, about 3-4 more minutes.
Add chicken broth and spinach. Bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When liquid is boiling, lay chicken on top of the liquid/rice mixture.
Cover the skillet, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is just cooked through.
Remove pan from heat. Move chicken to plate again and stir the lemon juice and grated parmesan into the rice until everything is melted and the rice is creamy.
Sprinkle rice with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve one piece of chicken with 1 cup of rice mixture.
Notes
Click here to determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically). Serving size is 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup of the rice mixture.
WW Green SmartPoints: 9 for 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup of the rice mixture
WW Blue and Purple SmartPoints: 7 for 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup of the rice mixture
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g
