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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic

[heart_this] · Dec 5, 2016 · 49 Comments

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic

A super simple and flavourful one-pan Greek style roast chicken with roasted head of garlic and lemon!

Having a small kitchen I really enjoy a nice one-pan meal for the ease and convenience and this one-pan greek lemon chicken rice with roast garlic is my current favourite! You won’t believe how easy it is to make this meal and it’s just packed with flavour! It starts off by frying the chicken in a pan until the skin is nice and golden brown, crispy and good! Onions and garlic are then sautéed before adding the rice, broth and heads of garlic and throwing it in the oven to roast until the rice and chicken are both cooked! It’s really that simple!
The dish has Greek inspired flavours including garlic and lemon along with a healthy dose of oregano. I did not make this dish with the heads of roasted garlic but one day I was thinking that since I was roasting the chicken anyways, why not roast some garlic along with it? The heads of garlic can be placed in the pan along with the rice and chicken to roast along with them. Garlic takes a bit longer to roast than the chicken but that’s a-ok with me for the flavour that it adds! I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that the extra roasting time allows for the rice to cook until it gets all nice and golden brown and crispy along the edges of the pan and that is so amazingly good! That added time certainly pays off and it require no extra effort!
What makes this amazing:

  • It’s so easy to make.
  • It’s one-pan.
  • The chicken is fried in the pan until the skin in nice and crispy.
  • The rice is toasted bringing out nutty flavours and aromas.
  • The onions are cooked in the rendered fat from the chicken skin and the juices from the chicken drip into the rice as it roasts infusing the rice with even more chicken flavour.
  • The browned bits of flavour stuck to the bottom of the pan after frying the chicken and sautéing the onions are picked up and added to the broth that the rice is cooked in when the pan is deglazed.
  • The rice along the edges of the pan roast up nice and crispy.
  • Roasted garlic!

If you are thinking ahead you can even marinate the chicken in a garlic, lemon and oregano marinade the night before to add even more flavour!

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
I like to serve this one-pan greek lemon-garlic chicken rice with crumbled feta, kalamata olives and chopped parsley.

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic
One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Rice with Roast Garlic

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Servings: 4

A super simple and flavourful one-pan Greek style roast chicken with roasted head of garlic and lemon!

ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound chicken (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, legs etc.)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 2 heads garlic, top 1/4 cut off
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
directions
  1. Heat the oil in a large oven safe pan (a cast iron skillet is nice) over medium-high heat, season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until the chicken is golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side, before setting aside.
  2. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender and lightly golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
  4. Add the broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon while the broth simmers.
  5. Mix in the oregano and the lemon, add the chicken and heads of garlic with the cut sides up and drizzle the oil on the garlic before covering the pan and roasting in a preheated 375F/190C oven until the rice is cooked and the garlic is a light golden brown and tender, about 30-45 minutes.
  6. Squeeze the garlic out of the heads and mix it into the rice serving the chicken on the lemon garlic rice.
Tip: Use skin-on and bone-in chicken for more flavour and that crispy skin! (Boneless and skinless chicken also works.)
Option: Marinate the chicken in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice and zest of one lemon, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper for 30 minutes to overnight! Add the marinade to the pan along with the broth and rice for even more flavour!
Option: Add slices of lemon to the pan before roasting.
Option: Omit the heads of garlic and roast until the rice is cooked, about 20 minute to save some time.
Option: Serve with kalamata olives, crumbled feta and chopped parsley!
Nutrition Facts: Calories 430, Fat 8.6g (Saturated 1.7g, Trans 0), Cholesterol 87mg, Sodium 113mg, Carbs 47.4g (Fiber 2.1g, Sugars 1.7g), Protein 38.8g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
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Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Greek, Main Course, One-Pan, One-Pot, Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria Lichty says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    Winner winner chicken dinner!

    Reply
  2. Heather Christo says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Oh my goodness- the flavors!! this looks exactly like something my family would love.

    Reply
  3. Judy Goldin says

    December 5, 2016 at 10:24 pm

    You said put the garlic in with the rice and then again with the chicken. Which is it.

    Reply
    • Rudy says

      April 15, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      You had the 4 CHOPPED cloves to the rice in step 3, and the 2 heads of garlic with ¼ of the head chopped off add with the chicken, lemon etc., in step 5. That’s why you need 4 cloves of garlic and 2 heads of garlic.

      Reply
  4. Gail says

    December 5, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    I would love to try this, but prefer brown rice. Could I partially cook the brown rice and then use it like to long grain rice?

    Reply
  5. Ellen Wood says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:42 am

    Saw this in my inbox this afternoon and drove straight to the grocery store. I added a can of artichoke hearts and served over a bed of steamed spinach. Wonderful!!

    Reply
  6. Marji says

    December 6, 2016 at 7:54 am

    This looks great, I have to try it tomorrow. And Judy, it's the chopped garlic with the rice and the two whole heads with the chicken.

    Reply
  7. Julie | Table for Two says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    This looks damn incredible! Delicious!

    Reply
  8. Jamie Gallant says

    December 6, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    Looks amazing! Also curious about cooking time with brown rice instead?

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    December 6, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Un délice que ce plat ! Merci pour ton partage.
    sarvenaz

    Reply
  10. cbhourican says

    December 7, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    Has anyone tried this with chicken breast only?

    Reply
    • Diane Flohr says

      April 11, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      I’ve made this twice and used brown rice, I just left it in the oven a bit longer. It was wonderful, defiantly a keeper.

      Reply
  11. Sandra says

    December 7, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    Gail

    Garlic is added in stages

    #1 4 cloves of chopped garlic, and the rice, are added to the pan after browning onions (step 3 in the recipe)

    #2 Two whole heads of garlic (skin on, tops sliced off) are nestled in with the chicken and rice. (step 5 in the recipe. When the chicken is done, plate the chicken. Squeeze the roasted whole garlic onto the rice and fluff.

    Reply
  12. Janelle Taylor says

    December 7, 2016 at 9:24 pm

    I made this last night. Was amazing! Did boneless skinless chicken breasts because its what i had and I used brown rice and it cooked just fine. It actually was probably the best rice i have ever tasted. That could be a side dish just itself. The whole recipe is deff a keeper!

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    December 8, 2016 at 3:09 pm

    LUV YOUR RECIPES !

    Reply
  14. Lacey says

    December 8, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    I made this last night for my fiance and I. It turned out great! My roasted garlic didn't get as nice and brown as the photos, but everything tasted delicious! The chicken cooked nice and evenly; it wasn't dry at all and very well seasoned. The directions are very clear and very easy to follow.

    For reference I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and make everything in a 10" cast-iron skillet. Thanks!

    Reply
  15. kevin says

    December 9, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    Gail & Jamie Gallant: Brown rice will work with the same times! Enjoy!

    Reply
  16. kevin says

    December 9, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    cbhourican: Chicken breasts work as well!

    Reply
  17. kevin says

    December 9, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    Lacey: I'm glad you enjoyed it!

    Reply
  18. kevin says

    December 9, 2016 at 6:21 pm

    Judy Goldin: The chopped garlic goes into the pan with the onions in step 3 and then the heads of garlic go in the pan on top of the rice and broth in step 5. Enjoy!

    Reply
  19. Deb K says

    December 10, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    Wow, this looks so good. I am new working with cast iron – in Step 5 you say cover the pan before roasting. Do you use foil or do I need a special lid? Thanks!

    Reply
  20. kevin says

    December 12, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Deb K: I have an oven safe lid for my cast iron pan and foil is a great alternative!

    Reply
  21. Devon says

    December 14, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    Hi Kevin,
    Do you think I could make this in a Dutch oven?

    Reply
  22. Devon T says

    December 14, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    Hi Kevin, do you think I could make this in a Dutch oven?

    Reply
  23. kevin says

    December 14, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    Devon T: A dutch oven is perfect! Enjoy!

    Reply
  24. Colleen says

    January 18, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    Could I use Quinoa instead of rice? It cooks faster than rice, so I am afraid it will dry out before the chicken is done. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  25. Anonymous says

    April 16, 2017 at 6:47 pm

    I am marinating the chicken, ready to cook tomorrow x

    Reply
  26. Donna says

    April 17, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    I made this tonight, and it was an epic fail. The rice never cooked nor did it absorb any of the liquid, even after over an hour in the oven. The flavor was great, but the texture was crunchy and watery.

    Reply
  27. Anita says

    May 4, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    I LOVE this recipe and have made it multiple times. Delicious. The only challenge I've ever had is that sometimes my head of garlic doesn't soften enough in the allotted time. I'm thinking I need to use smaller garlic heads or something . . .

    Reply
  28. ziggy says

    July 5, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    looks great I'm going to try this

    Reply
  29. Judy Goldin says

    October 24, 2017 at 9:29 pm

    Do you mean fresh oregano or dry? I take it that the rice cooks in the liquid in the oven. Sorry for the stupid questions.

    Reply
  30. Connie Hatch-Feir says

    October 25, 2017 at 10:53 am

    I would love to make this but have a question. Even though you initially crisp the chicken skin, I can't imagine that it stays crisp after cooking covered for awhile. Any way to re-crisp?

    Reply
  31. kevin says

    October 25, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    Connie Hatch-Feir: You can broil briefly.

    Reply
  32. kevin says

    October 25, 2017 at 7:11 pm

    Judy Goldin: I usually use dried oregano but fresh would work. Enjoy!

    Reply
  33. Kathi Petersen says

    December 8, 2017 at 1:56 am

    This was wonderful! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful recipes. I got HUGE compliments on this. Plus I have leftovers that will make an incredible second meal! Thanks Kevin!!

    Reply
  34. Fred and Tracie says

    December 13, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Made it with bone in breasts. Good but not great. Next time I'd use theighs.

    Reply
  35. cheryl wilk says

    November 28, 2018 at 6:37 pm

    Dried oregano or fresh?

    Reply
    • kevin says

      November 30, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      I usually use dried but you could use fresh.

      Reply
  36. Holly says

    December 17, 2018 at 12:49 am

    I have made this dish at least 6 times,but I always screen shot the ingredients…. then when I come home I’m sad that I forgot the parsley, olives and feta. Please add them to the list so everyone else remembers. I figured it out by now….I hope! Love this dish!!!

    Reply
  37. Melissa Thompson says

    January 15, 2019 at 7:15 pm

    I don’t know how I happened upon your website Kevin but it’s been a godsend. About 2 months ago I decided I needed to cook food that had more flavor because I was finishing dinner unsatisfied and eating too much. As our children are grown, I was too lazy to cook for just my husband and I. You changed all that with simple delicious recipes. Thank you so much!
    My sisters, with whom I have shared your website, thank you too!

    Reply
  38. KristinW says

    March 21, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    My husband and I and our two boys (7 and 8) absolutely LOVE this dinner! It is a fixture on our rotation. The flavors are truly amazing with such little effort. I use bone in, skin on chicken thighs and they come out so moist, juicy, and full of flavor. I’ve never tried adding the feta and olives. I love it just the way it is. Thank you for such an amazingly delicious recipe, Kevin!

    Reply
  39. Patricia Whited says

    June 6, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    This is one of the most amazing dishes ever! Even my super picky 5 year old loved it! I shared this recipe with all my friends as well! They need this in their life too! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  40. Kate Howell says

    July 15, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Can this be done purely on a stove top or over a campfire? We’re going camping and I would love to make something like this for dinner one of the nights.

    Reply
    • kevin says

      July 16, 2019 at 8:15 am

      Yes you can! Place a lid on it and cook at low until the rice is cooked and the garlic is a light golden brown and tender. Enjoy!

      Reply
  41. Lisa says

    November 20, 2019 at 8:27 am

    This was perfect as a winters day meal. I marinated the chicken as per recipe. Based on reviews, I roasted the garlic heads separately and used a cast-iron casserole pan. Everything cooked up wonderfully. The flavours really came through. It was a hit with the family.

    Reply
  42. Angie says

    April 28, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    one pound of chicken? I wouldn’t think that would be right.

    Reply
  43. Rachel says

    November 16, 2022 at 7:02 pm

    Can I sub the rice for orzo?

    Reply
    • kevin says

      November 21, 2022 at 9:07 am

      Yes you can! Just substitute it one cup for one cup!

      Reply
  44. Kathy S Olson says

    February 5, 2023 at 10:06 am

    The rice was really tasty. I would prefer different seasonings on the chicken. I would make this again.

    Reply

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