I love a dinner that basically cooks itself — and this Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice Pilaf is a total weeknight hero. Juicy, golden chicken. Fluffy, lemon-infused rice. All cooked in one pot so the rice soaks up every drop of flavor from the chicken (read: no boring bites).
No fancy ingredients, no unnecessary steps, and best of all… no mountain of dishes to tackle afterward. Just good, honest food that tastes like you tried way harder than you did.
The blend of zesty lemon, savory garlic, and tender chicken over aromatic rice is sure to become a favorite in your household. If you love one-pot meals be sure to check out this delicious One Pot Garlic Shrimp Orzo ot this One-Pot Chicken Thighs and Gravy! It's another great one pot healthy dinner. I love to use these one pot dinners for meal prepping as well!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Big flavor, low effort – Lemon, garlic, and herbs turn basic pantry ingredients into something borderline addictive.
One pot = less mess – The chicken cooks on top of the rice, which means flavor-packed grains and fewer dishes to wash.
Family-approved – No weird ingredients, just cozy, familiar flavors everyone actually wants to eat.
Weeknight gold – Done in under an hour, no fussy steps, no marinating required.
Light but satisfying – It’s fresh from the lemon, hearty from the chicken, and wholesome enough to make you feel smug about dinner.
One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice Video
Our Ingredients
Full instructions and pictures in the recipe card at the end of post
Chicken thighs: Skin-on bone in thighs add richness and flavor while staying juicy during cooking; boneless thighs or chicken breasts work if you prefer leaner meat.
Extra Virgin Olive oil: Helps the chicken crisp and carries the spices evenly across the surface.
Smoked paprika: Adds warmth and subtle smokiness without overpowering the dish.
Oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper: A simple seasoning blend that keeps the flavors savory and Mediterranean-inspired.
Parboiled rice: Stays nice and firm whole cooking.
Vermicelli: Toasted first to add a nutty flavor and classic rice pilaf texture.
Butter: Helps the vermicelli and rice toast evenly and adds richness.
Shallot or onion: Adds gentle sweetness and depth to the rice base.
Garlic: Infuses the rice with savory flavor as it cooks.
Chicken stock: Gives the rice far more flavor than water alone.
Lemon juice + zest: Brightens the rice and balances the richness of the chicken.
Thyme and oregano: Add warmth and earthy depth to the pilaf.
Fresh parsley: Finishes the dish with freshness and color.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice
Full instructions and pictures in the recipe card at the end of post
Step 1: Season the chicken with olive oil and spices.
Step 2: Brown the chicken until golden and cooked through.
Step 3: Sauté the shallot and garlic in butter until fragrant.
Step 4: Toast the vermicelli and rice until lightly golden.
Step 5: Add stock and lemon, then bake until rice is golden.
Step 6: Serve the chicken over the rice and finish with fresh parsley.
FAQ
Yes, but the chicken may take longer to cook and dry out the rice.
Yes, you can replace the chicken with chickpeas or tofu and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
⭐️ Recipe
One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 5-6 chicken thighs skin on
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Rice
- 1 large shallot or half white or yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 cups jasmine rice washed
- 1 cup vermicelli
- 2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth I use better than bouillon low sodium
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- ¼ fresh chopped parsley garnish
- salt to taste
Instructions
Marinade & Prep aromatics
- In a small bowl, combine all your seasonings. Add your olive oil and seasoning to your chicken and make sure to really rub it in. I like to add some under the skin as well. Let your chicken marinate while you are prepping your ingredients or you can allow it to marinate over night.
- Slice your shallots and set aside.
- I want a strong garlic flavor so I made a garlic paste. If you have a mortar and pestle, add your garlic and a pinch of coarse salt to the mortar. You can adjust the amount of garlic if you want less of a garlic taste but I find 6 is the perfect amount. Grind the garlic until a paste forms. this should tale 1-2 minutes. You can also do this using a knife.
- Add your oil to a deep skillet on medium-high heat. Let the oil warm up for 3-4 minutes or until barely smoking. Add your chicken skin side down. Make sure to press down on the chicken so it's in full contact with the pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown and flip. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes and remove from the pan.
Rice
- Turn the heat to medium and remove a little bit of the oil, leaving around 2 tbsp. Add the shallots and sauté for 4-5 mins, allowing them to develop some color.
- Add your butter and vermicelli. Toast the vermicelli for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add your washed rice and toast the rice for 3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken stock, making sure to scrape all those delicious bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the lemon juice and seasonings. Add the chicken back in and top with some fresh thyme and cover tightly. Cook on low medium for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and your chicken has an internal temperature of 175F. Pro tip: I like to place a kitchen towel under the pan cover to retain all the steam while cooking. I find this helps it cook more evenly.
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