Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice is a quick and delicious dinner idea. No more wondering what’s for dinner. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly tender chicken and fluffy rice every time. The golden, crispy edges of the chicken and the creamy, lemony sauce will make your family beg for this better-than-takeout dinner. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Sticky Chicken Bao Buns Recipe for Easy Dinner and Easy Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potatoes Recipe.
Why This Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe Is Pure Comfort
- Easy, one-pan cleanup
- Creamy lemon sauce that's better than takeout
- Perfectly tender chicken and fluffy rice every time
What You'll Need for Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Chicken breasts
- Long grain white rice
- Lemon
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Garlic
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried thyme
- Bay leaves
- Optional: Fresh parsley
- Optional: Lemon wedges
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is recommended.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant-read meat thermometer — Ensures perfectly cooked, tender chicken every time. → See on Amazon
- High-quality non-stick skillet — Prevents chicken from sticking and ensures even cooking. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
- Step 1: Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and dried thyme. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add onion, garlic, and cook until softened. Stir in rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Step 3: Place chicken breasts back into the skillet, spoon rice mixture over the top, and cover. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until chicken is heated through and rice is tender. Stir in heavy cream and fresh parsley before serving.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the chicken. Using a meat thermometer ensures perfectly cooked, tender chicken every time.
- Pro tip: For extra flavor, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce.
- Pro tip: Make ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Storing & Reheating Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and combine when ready to cook.
Freezing Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
Freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a lighter version, substitute low-fat milk for the heavy cream.
- Best substitution: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and combine when ready to cook.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the rice is not tender, add more chicken broth and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality lemon juicer — Makes juicing lemons quick and easy, ensuring the perfect amount of lemon juice for your dish. → Check price on Amazon
Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Long grain white rice
- Lemon
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
Seasonings
- Garlic
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried thyme
- Bay leaves
Optional Toppings
- Fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Step 1: Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and dried thyme. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add onion, garlic, and cook until softened. Stir in rice, chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Step 3: Place chicken breasts back into the skillet, spoon rice mixture over the top, and cover. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until chicken is heated through and rice is tender. Stir in heavy cream and fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a lighter version, substitute low-fat milk for the heavy cream.
- Best substitution: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and combine when ready to cook.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the rice is not tender, add more chicken broth and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
- Make ahead: Prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and combine when ready to cook.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 550
- Protein: 40g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbs: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sat. Fat: 10g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the chicken and rice mixture up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the refrigerator and combine when ready to cook.
Overcooking the chicken is the most common reason for dry chicken. Use a meat thermometer to ensure perfectly cooked, tender chicken every time.
Yes, you can cook the chicken in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Then, follow the stovetop instructions to cook the rice and combine with the chicken.
Yes, you can freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Yes, this Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe is not only delicious but also healthier and more cost-effective than takeout.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Rice Dinner Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
