Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Rice
This post contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This one pot lemon parmesan chicken and rice is the easiest weeknight meal. An easy high protein lemon chicken and rice meal.
There is nothing better than a simple weeknight meal that is easy to prepare, delicious, and healthy. This lemon parmesan chicken and rice is the perfect combination of flavors that is made in one pot with simple household ingredients.
We love making simple one pot meals that are high in protein and filled with great flavor; this recipe certainly does not disappoint.
Liz & Tyler’s Tips for the Best Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Rice
- Get a nice brown on the chicken before adding the rest of the ingredients. This helps build flavor to the entire dish.
- Adding the lemon juice and lemon zest at the end of the recipe is the best way to make sure the acid from the lemon doesn’t fade as it cooks.
Ingredients:
substitutions
Olive Oil: You could use avocado oil, but we really recommend extra virgin olive oil
Chicken Breasts: You can substitute with boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenders but we like the texture of the chicken breasts the best. We have not tried this with cubed pork tenderloin or pork chops but that may also work.
Broth: Any broth or stock (broth and stock are the same) can be used in any soup recipe. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low sodium chicken broth.
Onion and Garlic: Freshly chopped onion and garlic sautè alongside the chicken and bring a balance of flavor to the dish.
Rice: We use long grain white rice for this recipe but you can swap this out with brown rice, or quick cook rice but the time will need to be modified according to the cooking instructions on the package.
Spices: Our go to spices for this recipe consist of a mix of dried basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Feel free to try substituting with fresh herbs and spices or using dried rosemary and thyme for a different flavor profile!
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are the stars of this dish and help build the flavor to make this a zesty and delicious one pot recipe. Store bought lemon juice can be substituted as well but the fresh lemon is ideal.
Parmesan cheese: Some grated parmesan cheese helps make this a creamy one pot lemon chicken recipe without adding any milk or heavy cream, stir it in at the end and enjoy!
How to Make Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Rice
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat, add the chicken and cook for 9-10 minutes until lightly browned, then stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, rice, dried spices, and broth. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve warm with additional Parmesan cheese on top.
What to Serve with Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Rice
Add some green beans, broccoli, or frozen peas to this recipe to add some vegetables, or serve this alongside one of these amazing salads: Greek Salad, Spinach Blueberry Salad, Spinach Strawberry Salad.
storage
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Freezing: You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months. We like these containers for freezing.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave, a toaster oven, conventional oven, or on stove top.
other One Pot recipes and Rice Recipes:
Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small cubes
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice dry rinsed
- 1 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan.
- Add the chicken to the pan and sauté for 9-10 minutes, until the edges start to brown. (The chicken doesn’t have to be completely cooked because it will continue to cook)
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, rice and dried spices and broth to the pot. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. (Pro Tip: to speed up cook time, microwave your broth until warm before adding to the pan)
- After the rice has cooked for 10 minutes, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan to the pan. Stir together and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Serve warm with additional Parmesan cheese on top.
