This One-Pot Lemon Chicken & Rice is the perfect weeknight meal — juicy chicken thighs, tangy lemon, and rice soaking up all that buttery, oniony goodness. It’s the kind of dish that’ll make people think you spent all day cooking or that you’re a professional chef. But in reality, it’s simple, fast, and, best of all, just one pot to clean up.
Bonus tip: Save the chicken skin, freeze it, and collect enough over time to make schmaltz — that golden liquid gold for all your cooking needs. Not sure what schmaltz is? I have a blog post for that.
Ingredients:
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
• 1 box low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups white rice (washed)
• 1 package cherry tomatoes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Prep & Preheat: Heat your oven to 375°F. Trim excess skin from the chicken thighs, pat them dry, and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. (Pro tip: Save that extra chicken skin, toss it in the freezer, and use it to make schmaltz later. Don’t know what schmaltz is? Head over to my blog and find out.)
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil, then place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip the thighs and sear the other side for 1–2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
3. Cook the Aromatics: Lower the heat to medium and add the diced onion. Sauté until translucent, then stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
4. Toast the Rice: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and washed rice to the pot. Stir and toast the rice for about 3 minutes.
5. Combine Ingredients: Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cherry tomatoes. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
6. Bake It: Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pot, skin-side up. Cover with a lid and bake at 375°F for 1 hour.
Rest and Serve: Let the dish rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your flavorful, one-pot lemon chicken and rice!