Lemon Herb Chicken With Rice (Printable)
Juicy lemon herb chicken slow-cooked to perfection, served over fluffy white rice for a comforting meal.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
05 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
06 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
07 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for balance)
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
→ For the Fluffy Rice
14 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
15 - 1 ¾ cups water or chicken broth
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine salt, black pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and basil. Rub the spice mixture evenly over all chicken thighs to coat thoroughly.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Scatter minced garlic, chopped onion, lemon zest, and lemon juice over the browned chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Pour chicken broth over the chicken. Add honey if using to balance the acidity.
05 - Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours or on low setting for 7 hours, until chicken is tender and reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - Thirty minutes before chicken finishes, combine rinsed rice, water or broth, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes.
07 - Remove rice from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
08 - Place fluffy rice on plates, top with chicken thighs. Spoon cooking juices over the chicken and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The slow cooker does almost all the work, leaving you with tender, falling-apart chicken that tastes like you spent hours tending to it
- That lemon-herb infusion creates the most incredible juices that turn simple rice into something extraordinary
02 -
- Skip the browning step and the chicken will still be delicious, but that quick sear creates a depth of flavor you cant get any other way
- Letting the rice rest off the heat for those full 5 minutes is absolutely crucialits the difference between fluffy and gummy
03 -
- If using boneless chicken, reduce the cooking time to 3 hours on high or 6 on low to prevent drying out
- Always zest your lemon before juicingits much easier to handle the whole fruit