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Lemon-Parmesan Chicken and Rice Bowl

A quick and delicious meal that is healthy and the family will love it. Cheesy, lemony, crunchy!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 5 people
Calories 2906.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Oven-Safe Pot or Dutch Oven With a tight-fitting lid, for cooking rice
  • 1 Large Pot For boiling broccoli
  • 1 Large Skillet For cooking chicken and combining ingredients
  • 1 Zester For lemon zest
  • 1 Cutting Board & Chef's Knife For prepping chicken, onion, and lemon

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 cup rice
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 8 ounce package frozen broccoli
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Heat an oven-safe pot over medium-high heat; stir rice and 2 tablespoons oil together in the hot saucepan to coat the rice with oil. Pour hot water over the rice; bring to a boil and place a cover on the pot.
  • Bake rice in preheated oven until the water is absorbed and rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Place broccoli into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and season broccoli with salt and pepper.
  • Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken to hot oil, season with garlic powder and onion powder. Saute chicken until completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Stir onion into the chicken; continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Spoon rice into the skillet; cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir broccoli into the rice mixture; sprinkle lemon zest and lemon juice over the mixture and stir. Top with Parmesan cheese. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

For enhanced flavor in your rice, consider using chicken broth instead of hot water during the baking step. Ensure your oven-safe pot has a tight-fitting lid to properly steam the rice. When sautéing the chicken, avoid overcrowding the skillet to achieve a deep, even brown crust, which maximizes flavor development. For the broccoli, while boiling works, roasting it alongside the chicken at the same oven temperature with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper would add a beautiful caramelized sweetness and texture. Always use freshly grated Parmesan for superior melt and flavor. The final browning of the rice mixture in the skillet adds a delightful crispy texture; monitor closely to prevent burning.