This week I’ve been dreaming about Christmas in a big way. I’m the kind of person who has been making a Christmas list since March for myself and writing down what I’m going to buy for my family members. I’ve been saving up an idea for my sister since mid-July that I dare not mention on this blog. Let’s just say I am a strategist when it comes to buying Christmas gifts, and that thing you mentioned in January will end up under the tree 11 months later. One of my most coveted items is a new Staub dutch oven that I desperately need. My old red one is stained and chipped, and I’m ready for a new color. Despite the hefty price tag, if you don’t have a dutch oven, there are other brands that are less expensive, like this one. Another great place to look is TJ Maxx or Marshalls. I’ll be cooking everything in my dutch oven this winter, so I made this simple One Pot Lemon Chicken and Rice in it for a little winter pick-me-up. The lemon and oregano together make for an herbaceous and warming one pot meal.
I love cooking with chicken thighs since they are a fattier meat and honestly hard to mess up! If you cook them too long, they’ll still be flavorful and not dry out as quickly as chicken breast. I bet you could even use bone in skin on chicken thighs, though check the chicken to make sure it’s done, as this may take longer. My favorite way to eat this dish is with a little lightly dressed arugula salad and a glass of wine.
If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use any oven safe skillet with a lid. If your skillet’s lid isn’t oven safe, try simply covering it in aluminum foil tightly. The important part is that you can take it from stovetop to oven and the lid allows the rice to steam. Be careful if you’re using a cast iron skillet since acidic foods can leave it with a metallic taste, but if you’ve seasoned it well, then you’ll be fine.
Let’s get started on this recipe! First, I like to pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and salt and pepper them. Next, we’ll brown one side of the sides. This is the side that originally had the skin, or the flatter part that faces up in your chicken package. Drizzle olive oil in your dutch oven over medium high heat and place this side down in the pan without disturbing. Once the chicken can be easily removed from the pan without sticking, you can turn it and cook it for another minute or two on the other side before removing the chicken to a plate.
In the same pan, add the diced onion and saute over medium heat until it’s softened and translucent. Then add minced garlic, salt, dried oregano and dried thyme. Let these cook for a minute, then add the rice, toasting and stirring constantly for another couple minutes. Next, pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Nestle the chicken into the rice, adding any accumulated juices from the plate. Place the lemon slices over the dish and cover with the lid. Place in the middle of the oven and cook for 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for ten minutes before serving.
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- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ cups basmati rice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- Preheat the oven to 375. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large dutch oven or oven safe skillet with an oven safe lid, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken, what is normally skin side down, or the flat side down. Cook in the skillet until the chicken is lightly browned and is easily removed from the bottom of the pot without sticking, about 7 minutes. Turn and cook just one more minute and remove the chicken to a clean plate.
- In the same pot, add the onion, cooking on medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and oregano, and cook one minute more. Add the rice, and toast for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and broth, and stir. Nestle the chicken into the rice and pour in any juices remaining on the plate.
- Top the skillet with the sliced lemon, cover and place in the center rack of the oven. Cook for 25 minutes and remove from the oven. Keep the dish covered for another ten minutes before serving.
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