Lemon Herb Chicken With Rice (Printable)

Tender lemon herb chicken slow-cooked to juicy perfection over fluffy white rice.

# What You'll 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
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ 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

# Step-by-step:

01 - Combine salt, black pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and basil in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over all chicken thighs.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to the 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. Drizzle with honey if using for balanced flavor.
05 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours until chicken is tender and reaches an 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 over high heat.
07 - Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
08 - Plate fluffy rice and top with chicken thighs. Spoon cooking juices over the chicken and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender without any effort on your part
  • The bright lemon and herbs make every bite feel fresh and vibrant
  • Its one of those meals that tastes like you spent all day cooking when you barely did anything
02 -
  • Skip the browning step if you are rushing, but you will lose that deep, caramelized flavor
  • The sauce will be thin, but spooning it over the rice is what ties the whole dish together
03 -
  • Boneless chicken works but check it after 3 hours on high so it does not dry out
  • Double the sauce ingredients if you love extra juice for your rice

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