One-Pot Lemon Chicken Rice (Print Version)

A zesty one-pot meal with tender chicken, rice, and fresh vegetables in a lemon-infused broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12.3 oz), diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3.5 oz baby spinach (about 2 cups, packed)
07 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

→ Grains

08 - 2/3 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 5.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 cups water

→ Herbs and Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

→ Oils

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
04 - Add rice, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Stir to combine.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Discard bay leaf. Stir in spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until spinach wilts.
07 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in fresh parsley.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley and lemon slices if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pot situation, which means minimal cleanup when you're tired but hungry.
  • The lemon wakes everything up without tasting sour—just clean and alive in your mouth.
  • Chicken stays tender because it cooks in the broth, not dried out like it sometimes does.
  • You can see all the colors swirling together, which somehow makes it taste better.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into a starchy glue that tasted gritty instead of fluffy.
  • The lemon zest matters more than you'd think; it's where half the brightness lives, so zest it fresh and add it at the end to keep it vibrant.
03 -
  • Low-sodium broth is not just a suggestion—it lets you taste the actual food instead of just salt, and you control the seasoning at the end instead of fighting against an overly salty base.
  • If your broth is homemade, this soup transforms into something restaurant-quality because you start with something that already tastes like love.
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