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One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken
Chicken and rice is a simple dish that is often boring. I know when I make a simple pan sauteed chicken over rice my family groans. But making ordinary chicken and rice EXTRAORDINARY takes very little effort and maybe a bit of preparation.
What flavors do you like?
What do you have on hand?
The recipe I am sharing today can be made in one skillet. To save time, I make the rice component in the moicrowave while the chicken is cooking- that is easy enough, right? To get great results, oftentimes you need to cook the rice with the chicken. But who has time for that? If you use an economical rice the cook time can be 20 minutes or more. So I like to make the most of my time and start the rice in the microwave. Starting the rice in the microwave then adding to the chicken saves time.
Using vivid Mediterranean flavors like lemon and oregano, you take the ordinary and kick it up a notch. Fresh flavors like lemon, oregano and parsley make boring chicken and rice really sing. I use dried oregano in this recipe but feel free to use fresh oregano. I would have had it been a good price at the grocery store. It wasn’t.
Did I mention the best part of this recipe? Other than the microwave step I made this all in ONE skillet!!
I used a 12 inch, flat bottomed skillet for this. I needed a new skillet for the cooking deomnsteration where I was making this recipe. It was about $25 and you really don’t need to get top of the line if you take care of them and avoid the dish washer. Skillet meals are economical, family-friendly and fast. With less dishes to wash you can easily have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
My advice is to prep ingredients ahead of time to streamline the process and save time. If you have access to an olive bar, get pitted Kalamata olives with brine. If not, use the canned variety. The liquid, or brine, is just what the chicken breasts need to marinade in.
Recently, I made this recipe at the Indiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers Conference. Photo credits go to Andrea Turner of Mouseinmypocket.com
This is from Indiana Farm Bureau State Convention but I thought I looked FUNNY so I am sharing again:) Photo credit Andrea Turner
Total Servings 4
To save time: pre-chop and zest all ingredients at once before you start cooking.
30 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1/3 C Kalamata olives (canned) chopped, reserve 1/4 C liquid
- 1/4 C olive oil
- 2 TB dried oregano plus 1 tsp
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)
- Kosher salt/pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts of even size
- 2 C chicken broth
- 1 C long-grain white rice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- half pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Combine chicken, olive liquid, 1 TB oregano, half of garlic, 2 tsp lemon zest, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper in a ziplock bag.
- Place in refrigerator up to 2 hours.
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine rice and 1 1/4 C broth, cover and cook for 6-8 min or until liquid is absorbed.
- In a 12 inch sauté pan, heat 1 tsp of olive oil on medium-high heat.
- Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry with paper towels, place in pan and cook until browned- 3-5 min each side.
- Remove and place on a plate.
- Add remaining oil to pan and sauté onions on medium heat until soft.
- Add the remaining garlic and 1 TB oregano and stir.
- Add cooked rice and remaining broth.Bring to a boil.
- Return chicken to pan, place lid on and allow to cook at a low simmer for another 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temp of 160 degrees and the rice is completely cooked.
- Remove from heat and fold in olives and tomatoes and 2 TB parsley
- Garnish with a mixture of: 2 TB chopped parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp lemon zest. Serve.
Important Notes
Recipe inspired by America’s Test Kitchen
