Description
Whipping up Mediterranean Chicken Rice Skillet brings Mediterranean comfort straight to your dinner table with minimal cleanup. Perfectly seasoned chicken nestles into fluffy rice, creating a delicious meal that comes together faster than you can order takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Seasonings and Spices:
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables, Grains, and Extras:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 0.5 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and chopped
- 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 0.25 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Marinate chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Arrange marinated chicken in a single layer. Cook for 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken from skillet. Add another tablespoon olive oil and sauté 1 chopped onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until peppers soften slightly.
- Pour 1 cup rinsed rice into skillet. Stir to coat rice with vegetable mixture and oil.
- Add 2 cups chicken broth and 1 can diced tomatoes. Stir thoroughly to combine ingredients.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer for 22 minutes until rice absorbs liquid completely.
- Fold in ½ cup Kalamata olives, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and previously cooked chicken.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle ¼ cup fresh parsley across the top. Let sit covered for 3 minutes.
- Serve hot with optional feta cheese crumbles and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Marinate chicken for deeper flavor by letting it sit in seasoning for up to 2 hours before cooking, which helps tenderize and infuse more Mediterranean spices.
- Choose short-grain or medium-grain rice for better absorption of broth and more cohesive texture in the skillet.
- For a gluten-free version, confirm your chicken broth is certified gluten-free and use alternative grains like quinoa or cauliflower rice.
- Swap chicken for plant-based protein like chickpeas or tofu to create a vegetarian Mediterranean skillet that keeps the same vibrant flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-48 minutes
- Category: One-Skillet
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 343 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg