When I think of Lemon Chicken I think of how it’s Debra’s prize recipe on Everybody Loves Raymond much to the dismay of the rest of her family. And truth be told, I’ve had some lackluster lemon chicken in my life and it’s usually not a recipe I look forward to having. However when life give you lemons and chicken, make a Lemon Chicken with Rice and Asparagus recipe that blows the other lemon chicken recipes out of the water.
This recipe is a one pot meal and has little to no mess involved. In one pot you brown the chicken, cook the rice and steam the asparagus. So worth making on a busy night, right? It also uses ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Truth be told, I made this dish to use up a box of rice that was set to expire soon (side note, rice expires?!?) but it turned out so well that I took photos of it before actually enjoying it.
Tips for making Lemon Chicken
- Use the juice of the lemon to season the rice, use grated peel to serve on top of the chicken
- cook rice with chicken broth for extra flavor
- Add asparagus to pot last and add to the top of the mix so it steams
What type of rice to use
I chose to use a rice pilaf for this dish because I think it goes well with chicken and the thicker grains hold up well when eater with asparagus. You can use other types of rice, however the amount of liquid needed and the cooking time may vary. I’d stay away from brown rice or wild rice, as those cook times are much longer than rice pilaf, white or basmati varieties. However you can always cook the rice separately and use whatever you’d like.
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Make it a Meal
- Brown Butter Roasted Radishes
- Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Broccoli and Garlic
- Balsamic Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
- More Delicious Sides
Lemon Chicken with Rice and Asparagus
Make Lemon Chicken exciting again with this recipe for Lemon Chicken with Rice and Asparagus
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Thighs
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Cup Boxed Rice Pilaf
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Bunch Asparagus Chopped
- 2 Tbsp Grated Lemon Peel
Instructions
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place in a large dutch oven with oil on medium-high heat and cook until skin is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.
Drain excess fat and add rice. Add thyme and lemon juice to mixture, then stir in chicken broth. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 20 minutes.
Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Serve and enjoy!
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