Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Skillet
Mediterranean Chicken and Rice is an easy one-pan dinner with tender chicken, fluffy rice, spinach, tomatoes, feta, olives, and lemon.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- 12-inch deep skillet that has a tight fitting lid
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil ~3-4 cloves
- ¼ cup dry white wine or additional chicken stock
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup long-grain white rice rinsed really well
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large lemon zest and juice + more for serving if desired
- 2 cups baby spinach ~2 ounces
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and sliced, optional
- fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Remove any excess fat or gristle from the chicken, then cut it into 1- to 1½-inch bite-sized pieces. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep 12-inch skillet with a lid over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes per side, just until lightly browned. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Work in batches if needed, then return all the browned chicken to the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, or additional stock, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half.
- Stir in the chicken stock, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, oregano, and rinsed rice and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Resist the urge to peek.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let it rest, covered and undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Zest the lemon over the rice using a microplane, then juice it over the skillet. Gently fluff the rice mixture with a fork as you distribute the lemon throughout.
- Add the spinach and gently mix to combine. If your spinach isn’t wilting easily, let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the spinach can wilt from the residual heat.
- Top with sliced tomatoes, feta, Kalamata olives, and minced parsley before serving. I like to serve with additional slices of fresh lemon, but that is optional.
Video
Notes
Rice: The cook time is based on using long-grain white rice. Basmati and jasmine rice are great options.
Spinach: Omit if desired, or replace with kale. If using kale, finely chop it and stir it into the skillet before covering and simmering the rice.
Dairy-Free: Omit the feta, but you may need to add an additional pinch of salt.
Oregano: Feel free to replace the oregano with Greek seasoning if desired.
Storage: Let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Add a splash of broth or water before reheating gently in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg
