One pan Italian lemon chicken rice

Ingredients

• 

  4 large (about 170g each) chicken thigh fillets, trimmed

• 

  1½ tablespoons dried Italian herb blend

• 

  2½ tablespoons olive oil

• 

  2 medium onions, chopped

• 

  2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 

  1½ cups brown basmati rice, rinsed

• 

  2 x 250g punnets cherry tomatoes

• 

  ½ cup pitted green olives

• 

  ½ cup drained, fire roasted red pepper strips

• 

  1 small lemon, sliced

• 

  Charred lemon halves and chopped parsley, to serve

Method

1. 
   1

   Place chicken in a large plate. Sprinkle with dried herbs. Drizzle over 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil. Turn to coat.

2. 
   2

   Heat a large, shallow, flameproof ovenproof dish (choose one with a lid) over a medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove from dish.

3. 
   3

   Add remaining olive oil, onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon water to the dish. Cook, stirring and scraping up cooked browned bits from base of dish, for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is light golden. Stir in rice, tomatoes, olives and red pepper strips. Season with freshly ground pepper. Remove from heat.

4. 
   4

   Stir in 2½ cups boiling water. Return chicken to dish and nestle into liquid.

5. 
   5

   Top with lemon slices. Cover with lid. Carefully transfer dish to a 200°C (fan-forced) preheated oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from oven. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with charred lemon halves (see tip).