One-pan Lemon Herb Chicken Rice

Instructions

Place all the chicken ingredients in a medium bowl. Use your hands to coat the chicken in the marinade as evenly as possible. You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours for more depth of flavour, but I hardly ever do this and it’s always just as good. Heat a large, deep heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side side, until the outside is seared. It should still be raw in the centre. Be careful to not cook it the entire way through, as this will cause it to dry out later in the cooking process. Transfer to a plate. Add the water to the same pan to deglaze and scrape up any sticky bits. Once the water has mostly evaporated, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant. Add the butter and, once melted, stir the rice through. Add the lemon juice and the chicken stock and stir them through. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Return the chicken to the pan (some of the pieces may be slightly submerged in the liquid and that is okay). Cover and cook for 15 minutes. See note 3 if the rice isn’t cooked or you feel you have too much or too little liquid. Once the 15 minutes are up, turn the heat off and leave the chicken and rice to stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and use a spoon to stir and fluff up the rice, so that any residual liquid is absorbed. Return the chicken to the pan, sprinkle with fresh thyme and top with lemon slices. Serve immediately with a green salad.

• boneless Notes: 2, see note 1, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally to create four thinner steaks
• onion powder Notes: 1 tsp
• garlic powder Notes: 1 tsp
• sweet paprika Notes: 1 tsp
• dried thyme Notes: 1 tsp, can be substituted with Italian mixed herbs/Italian seasoning or dried oregano
• sea salt flakes Notes: 1 tsp
• 1⁄2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Olive oil Notes: 3 tbsp
• 1⁄4 cup water Notes: 60 ml
• onion Notes: 1, finely chopped
• freshly minced garlic Notes: 1 tsp
• unsalted butter Notes: 2 tbsp
• 11⁄2 cups jasmine rice Notes: 300 g
• Juice of 1 lemon
• chicken stock Notes: 3 cups, 750 ml, see note 2 about gluten-free
• Freshly cracked black pepper Notes: to taste

  Optional
• Fresh thyme sprigs Notes: to garnish
• Sliced lemon
• Green Leafy Salad with Balsamic Dressing