- This Greek lemon chicken recipe is so easy.
I debated if it even needed a video
because it really is straightforward.
But as I know you guys love chicken recipes
with Greek and Mediterranean flavors, I thought, oh, okay.
I'll go ahead and show you.
To serve up these tasty chicken thighs,
I plate them on at some lemon
herb rice for one fantastic and flavorful dinner
and I am confident that you're gonna love it as well.
So let me show you how to make it.
We'll start by making the lemon herb marinade.
And if you've watched my video
for six simple chicken marinades, this should look familiar
because it's essentially my Greek lemon marinade
from that video.
But we're swapping chicken breasts for chicken thighs.
You'll start with one third cup extra virgin olive oil
and add a quarter cup
of fresh lemon juice and always use freshly squeezed.
It just tastes a million times better in marinades.
To that, add four minced garlic cloves, one tablespoon
of dried oregano, two teaspoons of dried thyme,
two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, two teaspoons
of kosher salt and one teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Whisk that together until it's emulsified
like a dressing would be, and then set it aside.
I'm using eight bone in chicken thighs for this recipe
and many of you know that I'm a big fan
of chicken thighs for their tender and juicy meat.
Also, if you have the habit of accidentally
overcooking chicken breasts and drying them out
it is virtually impossible to do that with chicken thighs
which is one more reason to love this recipe.
Add the chicken thighs to a bowl
or plastic bag and then pour the marinade on top.
If you're using a bag, you can just seal that
up and then squish the chicken around to
make sure they're fully coated.
Or if you're using a bowl, just toss them around a bit
with your hands and then let them marinate in the fridge
for at least an hour or two so that they can soak
up all that bright lemony garlicy herby flavor.
At this stage, all that's left to do is cook the chicken.
See, I told you this recipe was crazy easy.
So place the chicken in a nine
by 13 inch casserole dish side by side
and then pour any leftover marinade on top.
You definitely don't wanna waste all that
incredible flavor sitting in the bowl
so do make sure to spread it out on top of the chicken.
The chicken will cook for about 40 to 45 minutes
in a 350 degree Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius oven
though you can always use an instant read thermometer to
make sure it registers 175 degrees Fahrenheit
or 80 degrees Celsius on the inside.
You can also baste the chicken a few times
while it cooks for that perfectly golden chicken.
And if you like extra crispy skin
you can turn on the top oven boiler
for the last two to three minutes of cooking.
Now, since I always get asked what to serve
with simple chicken dinners like this one
I thought I'd whip
up the lemon herb rice for my cookbook for you today.
The flavors are a match made
in heaven with the crossover of lemon, garlic, and herbs.
So to make that, heat two tablespoons
of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat
add half of a medium onion that you've diced
up and saute that
for three to four minutes until it softened and translucent.
Then add two minced garlic cloves, the zest from one lemon
which is about one tablespoons worth
and one and a half cups
of Basmati rice that you've rinsed and drained.
Once that's all added to the pan
saute it for another minute or so.
Add two and a half cups of low sodium chicken broth
though you could use vegetable broth as well.
The juice from one lemon, which is about three tablespoons
and half a teaspoon of kosher salt.
Give that a quick stir, bring it to a boil
then reduce the heat to low
and let it simmer covered for about 12 to 15 minutes.
Though personally, I like my rice a bit more
on the aldente side, so always cook it
on the lower end of that time spectrum.
At this point, remove the rice from the heat
give it another stir if you'd like, and then
let it sit covered for another four to five minutes to rest.
Before serving it up
add a quarter cup of finely chopped fresh herbs
and I'm using a mix of parsley, oregano, and dill today.
But you could also use thyme, tarragon, basil
or another tender herb.
Just don't go overboard
with too many different herbs of a dish.
I recommend picking two to three of your favorites
and once that's all stirred up
that's all there is to this very tasty rice side dish.
Now while the rice was cooking
I also quickly made air fryer green beans
because they literally only take seven minutes to make.
You'll just toss a pound of green beans
with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil,
two minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon of kosher salt
and a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Once that's done, transfer the beans
to the basket of your air fryer,
set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
and cook for seven to eight minutes
shaking the basket halfway through.
I'm kind of obsessed with air fryer veggies lately
as they are so quick and easy.
So stay tuned for more recipes
of them coming to the website.
And by the way
this green bean recipe is already on the website as well
but back to our lemon chicken recipe that's infused
with all those delicious Greek flavors
and which makes your kitchen smell like a Greek vacation.
And first, I just have to say
look at how beautifully golden it is.
Trust me that skin is loaded with flavor
and this chicken recipe will get gobbled up so darn fast.
And while this is by no means required
if you wanna get extra fancy, if you're serving this
up for guests, you can always add a few lemon slices
to the casserole dish just to give a nod
to the bright lemony flavor that's infused
into the chicken.
(bright music)
Plating this wholesome and healthy meal couldn't be easier.
Just add a portion of the lemon herb rice to a plate,
top that with a chicken thigh or two depending
on how hungry you are, and finish it off with a serving
of the green beans for one fabulous weeknight dinner recipe.
I hope you guys enjoyed today's video, and if you did
make sure to give it a thumbs up.
Share this Greek lemon chicken recipe with your family
and friends, and I will see you again in the next video.
(bright music)