Juicy chicken thighs are baked in an herby lemon sauce and served over herb-infused lemon rice in this easy Lemon Chicken recipe. With everything prepared in just two pans and a short ingredient list, it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Lemon chicken and rice is one of my favorite meals right now to make because everything is prepared in just one dish for the chicken and one dish for the rice. The combination of fresh lemon, garlic, and herbs makes this a truly delicious dinner, despite the prep being truly so simple.
This dish has similar flavors to my lemon chicken pasta but is made with baked chicken thighs and herb-infused rice, instead of chicken breasts and pasta. I know many people default to chicken breasts for recipes like this, but as we saw in my baked teriyaki chicken thighs, chicken thighs are just so much more flavorful and juicy when baked. They don’t dry out as easily as chicken breasts or tenderloins. (Though, of course, this recipe can be made with chicken breasts and still taste great! Just keep an eye on the baking time.)
Why This Lemon Chicken Recipe Is So Good
- Crispy outside, juicy inside. The lemon chicken is popped under the broiler during the last few minutes of baking. The broiler crisps up the skin and gives it a nice golden color, while keeping the inside extra juicy and tender.
- The herby lemon rice. This recipe isn’t just for chicken, it includes a simple rice recipe seasoned with herbs and lemon zest. It’s the perfect complement to the flavor of the chicken and it takes just a few minutes to prepare, without needing a bunch of extra ingredients.
- Minimal prep & clean up. The only real prep for this recipe is remembering to marinate the chicken ahead of time, but even that is optional. Otherwise, all you need to do is add the chicken and ingredients to a pan, and pop it in the oven while the rice cooks on the stovetop. Two dishes to make dinner = quick, easy clean up.
Key Ingredients
Both the chicken and the rice are prepared with a handful of dried seasonings and fresh lemon. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Chicken – I use bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe because they are so tender, juicy, and flavorful. You can substitute chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, which will cut the cooking time in half, but it won’t be as flavorful.
- Avocado oil – I prefer avocado oil because it has a high smoke point.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon is key here. Be sure to zest the lemon for the rice before squeezing the juice.
- Garlic – I prefer fresh garlic but jarred works too.
- Seasonings – I use a combination of dried oregano, thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper to season the chicken and rice, plus some dried basil in the rice. Feel free to play around with your favorite dried seasonings. If you’re using table salt in place of coarse kosher salt, use half the amount listed in the recipe.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley adds brightness and freshness to the dish. You can use dried parsley.
- Chicken stock – Cooking the rice in chicken stock instead of water adds so much extra flavor. Just be sure to use low-sodium chicken stock to prevent the dish from being too salty.
- Rice – I prefer white rice, as brown rice takes much longer to cook, and white rice complements the lemon flavor very well.
How To Make Lemon Chicken and Lemon Herb Rice
This lemon herb chicken recipe is so simple and straightforward, with the oven doing most of the work. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish. Top with the oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and dried seasonings.
- Marinate the chicken (optional). For the best flavor, marinate the chicken in the fridge for 1 to 8 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake the chicken. Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 175F. Baste the chicken with sauce halfway through.
- Prepare the rice. While the chicken is baking, prepare the rice according to package directions, just substituting chicken stock for water. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Broil the chicken. Baste the chicken with the marinade one last time then broil on high for 3-5 minutes to achieve a golden-brown, crispy skin.
- Enjoy. Garnish the chicken with lemon slices and parsley. Serve with the rice. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure juicy, flavorful lemon chicken. I also included some suggestions for additional ingredients that can be added.
- Marinate the chicken. While marinating the chicken isn’t an absolute must, I do highly recommend letting it marinate for at least an hour. Up to 8 hours is great but this isn’t a recipe I’d marinate overnight, as eventually the acidity from the lemon will break down the chicken.
- Avoid overcooking the chicken. For juicy, tender chicken it’s important to not overbake it. Use an internal thermometer to check when the temperature reaches 175F. Keep in mind that if you use boneless chicken, like chicken breasts, the cook time will be shorter by up to half.
- Don’t burn the chicken. I like to finish the chicken under broiler to get that crispy skin on the outside. Just keep in mind that the broiler can burn things quite quickly, so keep a close eye on it.
- Try different seasonings. The great thing about lemon chicken is that the lemon flavor pairs with pretty much any dried herbs. For fall, I like adding dried rosemary and sage. You can use 1 tablespoon of each.
- Add-in ideas. There are also lots of additional ingredients that can be added to customize this lemon herb chicken. Olives and capers add a tangy, slightly bitter flavor. Chopped potatoes, bell peppers, and onions can be baked with the chicken. Just keep in mind that the cooking time may be slightly longer, but the flavors are amazing.
What To Serve It With
The only thing missing to turn this lemon chicken and rice into a full meal is a vegetable. The flavors pair beautifully with roasted vegetables, like my sheet pan oven roasted vegetables and roasted cauliflower.
A fresh Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and salty feta is another great option.
Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover lemon chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave until heated through.
Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Lemon Chicken
- 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon parsley chopped
Lemon Herb Rice
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup white rice
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ lemon zested
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 2 teaspoons parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add the avocado oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, and dried seasonings to the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for 1 to 8 hours. If you don’t have time, you can skip marinating.
- Remove the baking dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 175°F. Use a spoon to baste the chicken with the sauce halfway through baking.
- While the chicken is baking, prepare your rice. Cook the rice according to the package directions, substituting chicken stock for the water. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork, add the remaining ingredients, and stir until combined.
- Baste the chicken with the marinade, then broil on high for the last 3 to 5 minutes for a golden-brown, crispy skin.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and garnish with lemon slices and parsley.
Last Step:
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