Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Lemon
Calories 553 (32% from fat)
Fat 20 gram
Saturated Fat 3.4 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Cholesterol 126 mg.
Sodium 1215 mg.
Carb. 54 gram
Fiber 4 gram
Sugar 1 gram
Sugar Alcohol 0 gram
Protein 35.5 gram
Ingredients
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (OPTIONAL)
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (About 2 Pounds)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or kalamata olives, smashed and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves (6 tsp.), minced
2/3 cup shallots, diced
2 cups jasmati rice, rinsed
4 cups (32 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped for garnish
This easy, flavor-packed recipe combines tender chicken thighs, caramelized lemon slices, savory olives, and fragrant garlic, all baked together with rice in a single pan. Perfect for a simple yet delicious weeknight dinner.
1. Prep Ingredients: Chop, mix, and measure out all ingredients before cooking.
2. Season Chicken: In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, and oregano. Divide into two portions. Place chicken in a bowl, season with one portion of the spice mix, covering all sides. For extra heat, add crushed red pepper.
3. Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Caramelize Lemons: In the same pan, add lemon slices and cook until caramelized and softened, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
5. Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add olives, garlic, shallots, and the remaining spice mix to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
6. Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
7. Add rice and chicken broth to the pan. Stir, bring to a boil (about 5 minutes), then remove from heat.
8. Assemble Dish: Nestle the seared chicken back into the pan, placing lemon slices on top. Cover with a lid or foil.
9. Bake: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
10. Serve: Remove from the oven, divide into 6 servings, and garnish with fresh parsley. Optionally, add a squeeze of lemon juice on top.
Yield: 6 Servings
You can freeze individual servings for easy re-heating later.
Keep the container open a little to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes.