Lemon Herb Chicken With Fluffy Rice (Printer-friendly)

Juicy lemon herb chicken slow-cooked to 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

# How to Prepare:

01 - Combine salt, black pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and basil. Rub the spice blend evenly over all chicken thighs to coat thoroughly.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker.
03 - Scatter minced garlic, chopped onion, lemon zest, and lemon juice over the chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Pour chicken broth and honey over the chicken and aromatics.
05 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and is tender.
06 - About 30 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. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
07 - Place chicken over fluffy rice. Spoon cooking juices over the top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does practically all the work while you go about your day
  • That lemon herb sauce becomes something youll want to put on everything
  • Leftovers taste even better, if they make it that far
02 -
  • Browning the chicken first creates flavor compounds that slow cooking alone cant achieve
  • Letting the rice rest covered is non-negotiable for that restaurant quality texture
  • The sauce will be thin, but spooning it over the rice is what makes this dish special
03 -
  • Pat the chicken really dry before seasoning for better browning
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith
  • If the sauce seems too thin at the end, remove the chicken and reduce it on the stove

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