Meyer Lemon Chicken & Rice
Looking for a hearty, yet light meal that’s perfect for just about any evening or season? This one-dish meal is full of flavor, using uniquely fragrant Meyer lemons and a combination of herbs, and a garlicky marinade to start things off right.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 Meyer lemon juice & zest
- 2 cloves garlic peeled & smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Chicken and Rice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 chicken thighs bone-in and skin on
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 medium shallots minced
- 1 Meyer lemon thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced for garnish
Instructions
Marinade – the day before:
- Add the ingredients for the marinade to a bowl and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Add the chicken thighs to the bowl, and toss to coat on all sides. Marinate overnight. If you’re in a hurry, you can make do with at least 1 hour.
Chicken and rice:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade bowl. Remove the bits of garlic, but save the rest of the liquid.
- Take 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and add it to a large oven-proof skillet or baking dish. Heat over a medium-high setting.
- Cook the chicken thighs, skin side down, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until browned. Turn over and cook another 5 to 7 minutes on the other side.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate for the moment. Turn the burner down to a medium-low setting, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Saute the shallots for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the Meyer lemon zest, herbs, and salt to taste, and stir together for a few seconds to blend.
- Add the rice, and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the grains are translucent.
- Add the wine as you stir, scraping up from the bottom of the pan. Stir and cook until the wine has been absorbed into the rice.
- Add the broth and remaining marinade, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 seconds.
- Place the chicken thighs over the rice, and arrange the Meyer lemon slices on top.
- Cover with foil, and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes or so. The chicken should be cooked all the way through, and the rice should be soft, and have absorbed most of the liquid.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley to serve.
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