If you’re looking for a healthy Greek chicken thighs and rice recipe that’s simple enough for weeknights, and also works for meal prep, this one checks every box. This is a baked, one-pot Greek chicken thighs dish made with white basmati rice, lemon, olives, garlic, and classic Mediterranean herbs. The chicken stays juicy, the rice comes out fluffy, and the macros are solid, with high protein, plus fat loss-friendly calories.
Prepping And Cooking Time
There’s a little prep time involved because you have some mincing and chopping and trimming to do. Allow up to 25 minutes for the prep, but you can prep in 20 minutes if you’re familiar with the recipe and you’re speedy.
The total time – prep and cooking – is about 50 minutes give or take 5 minutes, and it’s time well spent because this is delicious and one pot recipes are awesome for meal prep. Cook once, eat 5 times (at least 4).
If you don’t want to get frazzled by a recipe with 14 ingredients, remember mise en place (theFrench culinary term meaning “everything in its place.”) That also means read the recipe instruction sheet carefully before you start and have it printed and right in front of you the whole time.
Cookware For Baked Greek Chicken And Rice
My cookware of choice is a French Oven – also simply known as an enameled cast iron casserole dish. Basically, it’s a two-handled cast iron pot with porcelain enamel coating.
People say this is the same thing as a Dutch oven, and they are the same in many ways. They’re both enameled cast iron. Both have lids. Both can be used on the stovetop and in the oven.
The difference is the French oven / casserole dish has low sides, more like a skillet. My Lodge has a 3.6 quart capacity. It also may have a slightly wider base. The Dutch oven has high sides, more like a pot, so it can accommodate a lot more liquid and you can make things like big batch stews and braises. My Lodge Dutch oven will handle 6 quarts.
For the Greek chicken and rice, which only uses two cups of liquid (broth), I strongly prefer the French oven. The chicken cooks quickly and the rice comes out fluffier. Cleanup is easy too – almost nothing sticks with this kind of recipe.
I tested this recipe in the Dutch oven once and it came out fine – tasted great – just a couple caveats. If you use the deeper Dutch oven, the rice may need a few extra minutes uncovered to fully absorb the liquid. The chicken also doesn’t cook as quickly – you’re more likely to see 165 to 175F internal temp in the times listed above.
Also, a little bit of the rice just above the broth line browned and stuck to the sides. And lastly, due to the height of the Dutch oven, you may have to remove a rack from the oven before you turn it on.
What Kind Of Chicken Should You Use?
This recipe calls for chicken thighs. I was on a chicken breast kick for, ohhhh, about 30 years because it’s the leanest cut of poultry – up to 99% lean.
While I still eat a ton of chicken breast, I am a reformed man – I’ve started adding chicken thigh recipes to the Burn the Fat collection.
Chicken thighs are juicer and if you use skinless boneless thighs with all the visible fat trimmed off, the macros aren’t that different than chicken breast.
The calories are close, the protein is just little lower while the fat is a little higher for thighs. (Tip: scissors are easiest for trimming the visible surface fat).
Chicken Thigh Size, Weight And Macros
Chicken thighs typically range from 4 to 6 ounces, but most often 4 to 5 ounces. However, in the last batch I bought at the regular grocery store, I weighed each one individually, and while most were 4.5 to 5 ounces, a couple were as small as 3.5 ounces.
Also, the packages you buy at the grocery store always vary in weight and could have 6 thighs or even 8 thighs depending on the weight of each. So keep in mind that chicken thighs are not uniform in size and that means the macros are never going to be a perfect science.
What I try to do to get as close as possible is use 5 thighs, assuming about 5 ounces each or slightly under, which gives you 1.5 pounds (680g) for this recipe batch. If you do that, the macros will match what I listed above.
Chicken Customization And Cooking Tips
If you use different amounts of chicken or other ingredients, you can use the Burn the Fat Meal Planner software to customize the recipe if you’re a Burn the Fat Inner Circle member. All of my recipes are installed in the planner, and if you open any one of them, you can “save as a custom” recipe.
I’ve seen similar one pot recipes that recommend browning the chicken in the pot first. Don’t do it. You will have overdone, dry chicken if you then bake according to the rest of my instructions. The chicken thighs go in the oven raw and they will cook through completely in just 25 minutes.
By the way, chicken thighs are not only irregular in size, but also in shape, with a main piece and a smaller flap.
When you lay the chicken in the dish / Dutch oven, fold the thinner flaps of the chicken thighs underneath because the thin edges can overcook before the thicker center is done if they’re stretched out flat.
The “fold-under method” helps them cook more evenly and stay juicy throughout when baking. It also lets you fit in 5 large thighs in a single layer (6 smaller ones).
What Kind Of Rice Should You Use For A Greek Chicken And Rice One Pot?
You have to use white rice with a one pot recipe that’s baked in the oven in broth with chicken at the same time. Brown rice won’t be cooked through in the times I’ve specified. If you did try to give brown rice the full cooking time it needs, the chicken would be overcooked and drying out.
Brown rice does have more fiber, and it may be more filling for some people. However, the white rice macros are almost the same, and white rice is not an ultra-processed food – it’s a perfectly fine one-ingredient high energy starchy carb. Use brown rice for the rice cooker.
I like white basmati rice the best for this particular one pot recipe. Basmati has a slender grain with relatively low surface starch, which means it absorbs liquid nicely without turning sticky or holding excess moisture. When fully cooked, you get fluffy, separated rice with no pooling liquid at the bottom of the pot.
One pot recipes are awesome when you follow a tested and proven recipe because they make a full meal so easily. But developing one pot recipes from scratch is not easy in the sense that it can be difficult to get every ingredient to finish cooking perfectly at the same time.
The nice thing about basmati is that it seems to finish cooking more reliably at the same time the chicken finishes cooking – at least it does for this recipe.
Will Long Grain White Rice Work For A One Pot Recipe?
Can you use long grain white rice for one pot chicken and rice recipes? Sure. I’ve tested it and it worked fine.
Just make a note that it might absorb liquid a little more slowly and need extra unlidded cooking time for evaporation at the end .
I’ve used long grain white rice in previous recipes – for example, in our Cheesy Italian chicken rice bake – but the baking time was longer. Plus, that used tomato sauce, not broth (different recipe altogether).
I prefer white basmati for this Greek recipe, but either way, check the rice to see if it’s done before serving. If there’s still significant liquid in the bottom, it isn’t done yet, so give it a little more time.
Why Do You Remove The Lid At The End?
Do NOT forget to remove the lid for those final minutes.
While most stovetop rice recipes call for keeping the pot covered from start to finish, this dish works differently because the rice is cooking in broth alongside the chicken in the oven.
Leaving the lid on traps steam, which can prevent excess liquid from escaping once the rice is fully hydrated.
When you remove the lid at the end, it allows remaining moisture to evaporate, helping the rice grains separate and get fluffy instead of becoming wet or soupy.
One Pot Rice And Chicken Thighs: Cooking Time And Temperature Tips
If you have to cook a little longer for the rice to finish, don’t worry about the chicken overcooking. Thighs are very forgiving, especially when they’re cooked like this, starting in liquid. (This method is almost like braising).
Even if the internal temp hits 185F, it’s still fine – probably 175 to 185F is ideal. You commonly hear the 165F guideline for chicken, but that’s a food-safety standard, not a measure of perfectly cooked thighs. In fact, very thick thighs can still be a little pink inside at 165F.
Remember also that thighs are considered a dark meat, and with their higher fat content, they don’t dry out as easily. In fact, the texture is better when you cook it to a slightly higher temp because it gives time for the tough connective tissue to break down in thigh meat.
When you start pushing 190 to 200F, then you’re on the verge of some overcooked chicken thighs that are losing their juiciness.
Do You Need To Use Lemon Slices For Greek Chicken And Rice?
At first I didn’t know if using a slice of lemon on top of every chicken thigh was necessary. I wondered if it was just a technique for presentation or to make your kitchen smell nice and lemony.
But after trying it with and without lemon slices, I was sold on this method. The lemons gently steam and release citrus oils as they heat. The lemon juice seeps into the rice and the chicken gets a nice pop of extra flavor.
You can even give a little extra squeeze of lemon to finish the chicken after it’s out of the oven – just wait until those lemons have cooled off first before you touch them with your bare fingers.
Veggies For One Pot Rice And Chicken Thighs
This would taste great with just chicken and rice. But in our Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle system, a meal is not fully complete without a vegetable (or a fruit, more commonly with breakfasts)
Plus, when we design recipes for fat loss, it’s always a good idea not only to include veggies, but in generous amounts – even more than traditional recipes might call for.
When you do this, it increases the volume of food while adding hardly any calories. That means you feel fuller on less calories.
For that reason I included two veggies. I used a large bell pepper and onion. My recipe lists a 1/2 a cup of onion, but if you love onion like I do and you want even more volume, you could easily bump that to 3/4 cup or even a full cup.
The Best Seasonings For Greek Chicken And Rice – And How Much?
Oregano is quintessential Greek, so that’s a must. And rosemary is classic poultry seasoning. The two together are perfect.
I’ve tried different amounts and found 2 to 3 teaspoons is a good range. Using 2 teaspoons of each is balanced and probably just right for most people. If you want a bolder, more herb-forward flavor, try 3 teaspoons of each.
Garlic of course is another must. Start around 4 large cloves (bare minimum of 3) for a nice balanced subtle flavor in the background. Scale up to 5 or even 6 cloves if you’re a garlic maniac and you want a stronger, more noticeable garlic taste in every bite.
A half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper does the trick. If you use sodium-free broth, you might want a little bit more salt. I use the reduced sodium broth not totally sodium free kind and these amounts seem perfect to me.
My favorite method is to mix all the seasonings into one small bowl and then divide it: half for the chicken wet rub (with the 2 Tablespoons olive oil), and the other half goes in directly with the rice and vegetables.
Another option is to garnish this dish with some fresh parsley. That’s another classic in Greek cooking.
What Kind Of Olives Should You Use – And Are They Mandatory?
The olives are part of what makes this recipe deserve the “Greek” label.
You can use any kind of olives you want, but those deep purple Kalamata olives are the most iconic Greek variety.
For convenience, look for olives that are pitted and already halved.
If you’re not a big olive fan, then go ahead and exclude them (or reduce the amount). But to my tastebuds, they’re like a “secret ingredient” in this recipe.
Getting that olive flavor in almost every bite makes a huge difference. It also complements the other flavors beautifully.
The Other Iconic Greek Ingredient: Feta Cheese
The feta in this recipe is more like a garnish than anything. You don’t need a ton of it, and omitting it wouldn’t make or break the recipe (in case you don’t have it on hand). But it is another ingredient that makes this uniqely Greek.
If you dropped out the olives and the feta, you’d probably just call this “baked one pot chicken with rosemary, oregano, and lemon.” (It wouldn’t be Greek, but it would still be darn good!)
This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of feta, but you could use as little as a 1/4 cup, which is like a finishing touch sprinkle on top. I always use it because it adds another layer of Greek flavor. If you love feta, use more if you want, just remember the extra calories.
You can save some calories by using low fat feta. Nonfat feta is widely available, but I’d skip it if I were you unless you’re on an extreme calorie budget. Nonfat feta hardly has any flavor. Sometimes using only nonfat ingredients is too much compromise. We want great macros but also great flavor too!
Now Go Get Cooking In YOUR Burn The Fat Kitchen!
This recipe has been well-tested in the official Tom Venuto Burn the Fat kitchen both for ingredients and cooking method.
I went to great pains using the Burn the Fat Meal Planner software, measuring ingredients by weight and volume, making multiple test batches, and adjusting ingredients to get the macros as perfect as possible for fat loss.
But this recipe can also be fantastic for muscle building programs or higher calorie budgets:
If you split this batch into only 4 servings, you’d get 560 calories, 42g protein, 47g carbs and 23g fat. You could save that 5th chicken thigh for later or split it up in your 4 servings for even more protein per serving. If you used 1.25 cups (uncooked) rice, you’d crack over 600 calories.
You can use the Burn the Fat Meal Planner software to customize hundreds of our recipes if you’re a Burn the Fat Inner Circle member. It’s an amazing tool that is NOT your typical mobile app for tracking – it’s meal planning AND recipe creation software and there’s nothing else like it.
So go get cooking – I think you’ll enjoy this. It’s a new favorite for me and I know it’s going to stay in my regular meal prep rotation!
Train hard and expect success!
Tom Venuto,
Author of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle
Founder of Burn the Fat Inner Circle
Healthy One Pot Chicken Thighs And Rice
Equipment
- French oven / Enameled casserole dish
Ingredients
- 680 g Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (24oz/1.5lbs)
- 180 g White basmati rice, uncooked (approx 1 cup)
- 480 ml Chicken broth (2 cups)
- 80 g Onion, diced (approx 1/2 cup)
- 1 lg Red Bell Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil (for wet rub)
- 2 tsp Olive oil (for cooking onion & pepper)
- 64 g Kalamata olives, pitted, halved (approx 1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2-3 tsp Rosemary
- 2-3 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 med lemon, sliced, de-seeded
- 112 g Feta, reduced fat (approx 1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400F
- Dice onion, chop pepper, finely mince garlic, slice and de-seed lemon (5 slices), measure outrice and olives
- Trim visible fat from chicken (scissors are easiest)
- Prep chicken seasoning and wet rub: Combine seasonings in small dish - rosemary, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper. For chicken wet rub, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and half the seasoning to a large bowl. Toss chicken in the mixture until evenly coated.
- Add two tsp olive oil to French oven/casserole dish (or Dutch oven) and add onions and bell pepper. Saute on medium high about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice. Add remaining half of seasoning mixture. Cook a minute or two so the rice lightly toasts, stirring regularly. Turn off heat.
- Nestle the thighs into the rice and veggies. Measure 2 cups of chicken broth then pour it in.
- Add the olives. Add a lemon slice on top of each chicken thigh. Cover and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake 5 to 10 more minutes until rice is fluffy.
- Remove from oven and garnish with crumbled feta. Optional: garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
About Tom Venuto
Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilding and fat loss coach with 35 years of experience. He holds a degree in exercise science and has trained hundreds of clients in person. He is also a recipe creator specializing in fat-burning, muscle-building cooking.
A former competitive bodybuilder, Tom is now a full-time evidence-based fitness writer, blogger, and author. His classic book Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is an international bestseller, first as an ebook and later as a hardcover and audiobook. His newest book. Extreme Fat Loss, which analyzes controversial diet and training programs, became an instant bestseller.
Tom’s work has been featured in Men’s Fitness, Oprah Magazine and dozens of other major publications. He is best known for his no-BS, science-based approach to natural fat loss and muscle-building.
Tom is also the founder of Burn the Fat Inner Circle, a fitness support community with more than 59,000 members worldwide since 2006.
More One Pot Recipes:
Cheesy Mexican Rice And Chicken Casserole
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