Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet

Mediterranean chicken and rice skillet is a classic meal the whole family will love. 

Traditionally, it’s made in a casserole dish. At least, that’s how my Mom and Grandma make it. Chicken and rice can be made so many different ways and varies from country to country. I decided to give it a different twist by making it in a skillet and adding a fresh lemon flavor. Other than that, this One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken and Rice is a traditional Mediterranean recipe for chicken and rice.

If you are looking for more Mediterranean-style recipes, check out my Simple Moussaka recipe, Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs & One Skillet Tuscan Chicken (which is one of the most popular recipes on my blog).

This rice pilaf tastes amazing! It’s cooked in homemade chicken stock (you can also add some wine for flavor), and the juices from the chicken seep into it while it cooks. Also, the lemon zest and juice add a fabulous fresh flavor to the rice. Sometimes, I also love to add some peeled tomato pieces to the rice and olives on top. It makes the dish very delicious – it’s always better when you add more Mediterranean flavors.

I prepped the chicken by boiling it in water for 15 minutes. This makes the chicken extremely juicy and tasty, and it doesn’t dry out in the oven while it bakes. You could also use chicken breasts or tenderloins,  but it won’t have the same flavor because it’s not as flavorful as bone-in chicken thighs.

If you decide to use chicken breasts, you can skip the first step of boiling the chicken and just saute each breast for few minutes on each side.

All the magic happens while the chicken and rice bake in the oven. All the flavors and juices mix together and infuse the chicken and rice with an incredible flavor. It’s a good thing that this recipe makes plenty of rice pilaf because I guarantee you will want seconds and thirds.

Let me know how you like this easy One Skillet Chicken and Rice recipe in the comments below! I would love to hear from you!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

Homemade Chicken stock (or use store bought stock instead)

8 cups water

2 celery stalks, cut in 2 pieces

1 onion, quartered

2 carrots, cut in 2 pieces

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

Rice Pilaf

2 medium carrots, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup uncooked rice

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (recipe above, or store bought)

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp)

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 lemon for garnish (optional)

How To Make Mediterranean Chicken and Rice

Place chicken thighs in a large pot and fill with water so it covers the chicken, season with salt. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and parsley to the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil chicken for 15 minutes. After that, move chicken to a plate, and train the chicken stock and use for later. If you decide to use store-bought chicken stock, you don’t need to add the vegetables to the water, but you do have to boil the chicken for 15 minutes in water.

Heat oil in a large 10″ oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper,  thyme, and oregano. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice to the skillet and stir well. Season the rice-vegetable mixture with salt,  black pepper, thyme, and oregano.

Season chicken thighs with garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper on both sides. Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture in the skillet.

Add lemon zest and lemon juice to the chicken stock and mix well. Pour over the rice mixture.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 30 minutes. Move the oven rack to the top and bake for another 10 minutes, to get a nice golden brown crispy skin on the chicken.

If you enjoyed this Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken and Rice

One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken and Rice is a meal the whole family will love. Garlic-seasoned chicken thighs on a bed of rice mixed with colorful veggies. Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients  

• 4 bone-in skin on chicken thighs

Homemade Chicken stock (or use store bought stock instead)

• 8 cups water
• 2 celery stalks, cut in 2 pieces
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, cut in 2 pieces
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt

Rice Pilaf

• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock, recipe above, or store bought
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 Tbsp
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon for garnish, optional
• Garlic powder
• Paprika

Instructions 

• Place chicken thighs in a large pot and fill with water so it covers the chicken, season with salt. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and parsley to the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil chicken for 15 minutes. After that, move chicken to a plate, and strain the chicken stock and use for later. If you decide to use store-bought chicken stock, you don’t need to add the vegetables to the water, but you do have to boil the chicken for 15 minutes in water.
• Heat oil in a large 10″ oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, thyme, and oregano. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Add rice to the skillet and stir well. Season the rice-vegetable mixture with salt, black pepper, thyme, and oregano.
• Season chicken thighs with garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper on both sides. Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture in the skillet.
• Add lemon zest and lemon juice to the chicken stock and mix well. Pour over the rice mixture.
• Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 30 minutes. Move the oven rack to the top and bake for another 10 minutes, to get a nice golden brown crispy skin on the chicken.

Nutrition

• Serving: 471 g
• Calories: 558 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 46.1 g
• Protein: 57.3 g
• Fat: 14.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 10.3 g
• Cholesterol: 151 mg
• Sodium: 1037 mg
• Fiber: 2.7 g
• Sugar: 3.8 g

Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.