One-Pan Lemon Honey Chicken and Rice

Steps

1. Zest the half lemon and keep the zest aside for serving, then squeeze out its juice. Mince the garlic. In a shallow bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, paprika, oregano and honey, and season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

   6 min

2. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them until evenly coated. If time allows, leave them to marinate for 30 minutes.

   2 min

3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Lift them onto a plate and keep the marinade left in the bowl.

   5 min

4. Finely dice the onion. Add it to the same pan and sauté until translucent, deglazing with a splash of water if anything sticks to the base.

   4 min

5. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Add it with the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, put the chicken back in, pour over the marinade left in the bowl and cover with the lid. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

   22 min

6. Turn the heat off and let the pan stand for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice finishes cooking in the trapped steam, so this rest is not optional.

   10 min

7. Take the lid off and fluff the rice with a fork. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Top with the parsley, the lemon zest you kept back and a sprinkle of chilli flakes, and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki.

   4 min

Serving suggestion

Bring the pan to the table and serve straight from it, with yogurt or tzatziki on the side.

Storage

Keeps 3 days in the fridge in a closed container. Reheat covered with a splash of water or stock, as the rice dries out.

Notes

The lid has to seal — a loose one lets the steam out and the rice stays hard in the middle. Rinsing the basmati until the water runs clear is what keeps the grains separate rather than sticky.