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Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet is a one-pan chicken dinner. This chicken skillet dinner is brimming with flavor from garlic, white wine, fresh thyme, spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Just like you, I am always in need of easy meals that not my family will eat and enjoy.
This elevated chicken and rice skillet fits the bill!
Mediterranean Chicken and Rice is a full meal made in one pan, full of incredible flavor, and is ready in less than 30 minutes.
This simple dish for chicken and rice becomes elevated with white wine, grape tomatoes, fresh thyme, and feta. This is one skillet meal that is truly restaurant quality and when paired with a nice bottle of wine, it becomes a stand-out dinner worthy of company.
How to Make Chicken and Rice Skillet
Step One: Saute Chicken
- Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
- Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add in olive oil and heat.
- Add chicken to heated skillet and sear chicken on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Step Two: Deglaze Pan
- Add in wine (or stock) and scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.
- Add in garlic, thyme leaves, and tomatoes.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Step Three: Simmer Rice
- To the skillet add the stock and rice.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover skillet.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Simmer rice and chicken until rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step Four: Serve Chicken and Rice
- Remove thyme leaves from the skillet.
- Serve chicken and rice over a bed or spinach.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese and an additional drizzle of olive oil.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Feel free to substitute white rice for brown rice, just be sure to use quick-cooking rice for this meal to be ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work as well as chicken breasts.
- If you do not drink/cook with alcohol, just use additional stock.
- For the best flavor, use fresh thyme leaves, but ½ teaspoon of dried thyme will work in a pinch.
More 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
- 30 Minute Baked Potato Soup
- Mexican Chicken Skillet
- Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup dry white wine, or additional chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup minute brown rice
- 6 ounces spinach
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet (that can be fitted with a lid).
- Season 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed) with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the seasoned chicken to the heated oil in the skillet and brown the chicken, for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned.
- Once the chicken has browned, add ¼ cup dry white wine to the pan and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved) and saute for 1 minute to toast the garlic.
- Add 2 cups low sodium chicken stock, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, and 1 cup minute brown rice, stirring to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and let the skillet set for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in 6 ounces spinach and ½ cup crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired and serve.
Equipment
- large skillet that has a tight fitting lid
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Would this recipe suffer significantly from not having feta?
Not at all! Enjoy!
I wanted an Instant Pot Max for its advertised ability to pressure CAN produce from my garden. My cousins were going to send on to me for Christmas, but sent the money instead after further research just couldn't find adequate safety testing. Instead, I treated myself to an Air Fryer and IP Duo Mini. Thus the internet search that turned up your website! So many good things to try, my phone's SD card is filling up fast.
So to my question...this sounds like it would be a great recipe to convert to Pressure cooker, yet it's only given as a traditional method. (Which is great for all of us who have only that option). Can you tell me what makes this unacceptable for or not as good from an Instant Pot? Thanks for all the great info
Hi Jeannine! It is hard to get chicken and rice to cook together and both turn out well due to different cooking times--especially when using brown rice. To make this an Instant Pot Recipe, you would need to mix together 1 cup long-grain WHITE rice with 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 tablespoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Dice up the chicken and place on top of the rice mixture. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with natural pressure release. Then stir in spinach, tomatoes, and feta if using.
What do you think of using cauliflower rice in this instead of the brown or white? It's looks fantastic! Thank you!
I think that is a great idea to keep this low Carb! I love using cauliflower rice myself, just cook the chicken and tomatoes in the wine and seasonings. Then add in the cauliflower rice. You shouldn't need the extra chicken stock. Enjoy!
This looks like just the kind of chicken and rice meal I love for the hectic work week. Usually I'm thinking about what to fix for dinner around 5 o'clock so something like this dish would sure come in handy. Love the hint of thyme you added to the mix too.
This is a perfect one skillet meal for those busy nights Linda 🙂
This is an absolutely amazing recipe! Its looks delicious and it is super healthy for my family and I!!
It really is healthy and delicious!
I'm a little late to the party here, but I've started using your recipes to make my grocery lists! So delicious and I'm all about fast, easy to clean up week night dinners!!
YAY!!! I am so glad you are using my recipes to help make dinner easy! And so glad you are enjoying them. Thanks so much!