Lemon Chicken and Rice Casserole

Lemon Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 of 5 (35)
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 4
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 289.6
  • Total Fat: 4.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 66.0 mg
  • Sodium: 97.2 mg
  • Total Carbs: 30.6 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g
  • Protein: 30.7 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Lemon Chicken and Rice Casserole calories by ingredient


Introduction

Light on fat with plenty of fresh lemon, this one-dish meal requires only just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time. Light on fat with plenty of fresh lemon, this one-dish meal requires only just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.
Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

    16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 (4-ounce) portions
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    4 leeks, white and pale green part only, sliced into thin half moons (about 1 1/2 cups)
    3 cloves garlic, sliced
    1 lemon, zested and juiced
    1 teaspoon dried dill
    1 cup brown rice
    2 cups boiling water
    2 cups broccoli, chopped
    1 tablespoon chopped chives




Tips

If you crave cheese to go with this dish, add 1/2 ounce soft goat cheese or 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan to each portion just before serving.

Why slice the garlic instead of chopping it? Slicing mellows the flavor, and in this dish, you want the lemon and leek to be the stars.





Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Coat a large oven-safe skillet with cooking spray, then place over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for four minutes per side.
Set the chicken aside, then add the oil to to the skillet.
Add the leeks and garlic to the warm skillet and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.
Squeeze half of the lemon over the vegetables, stirring to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom. Add the dill and brown rice and cook for two minutes, stirring often.
Pour in the boiling water, stir to combine, and cook until it reaches a boil again.
Place the chicken breasts on top, then squeeze on the remaining lemon juice. Place both (juiced) halves of the lemon in the dish.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes, then add the broccoli to the dish and bake another five minutes. The dish is ready when the rice is fully cooked and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Remove from the oven, discard the lemon halves, and sprinkle the dish with the lemon zest and chives. Serve immediately.

Serving Size: Makes 4 servings: 4 ounces chicken breast, 1/2 cup prepared rice, and 1/2 cup broccoli

Member Ratings For This Recipe


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    Very Good
    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
    This was a very easy recipe to make. I prepped everything ahead of time so all I had to do was follow the recipe. My only critique is that there is a bitter flavor. I'm not sure if it's because I used too much lemon, or if the leeks were cooked too long. Would love some feedback on that. - 1/27/14


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    4 of 6 people found this review helpful
    You need to double the nutrition information for the brown rice. Current listed information is for already cooked rice (1 cup) and recipe calls for uncooked rice. - 12/1/14


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    Incredible!
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    This is a winner. I'll make it again, but I will allow myself more time. If chef Meg can get it together in ten minutes, well, it takes me at least half an hour, maybe even forty minutes. I'm slow. - 12/2/14


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    Very Good
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    I loved this recipe, I used leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, the leeks gave it a nice touch! - 12/1/14


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    Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Chicken was dry and overcooked. Next time I will check it at 30 minutes instead of 40. I added some sliced summer squash along with the broccoli. Delish! The bitterness in my dish came from the lemon, but I think this is a pretty bland dish without some zing. add salt & pepper too. - 1/4/15


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    Incredible!
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I didn't change a thing and loved it. Thank You. - 12/1/14


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    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
    Very good. I do see the bitter flavor coming thru. I think t is because of the dill and lemon combination. - 12/1/14


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    Very Good
    Delicious! I did not use leeks or dried dill, but everything is was to a T. So yummy, the whole family ate it. My boyfriend added soy sauce to his. - 2/19/21


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    I made the assumption that it is 1 cup of uncooked brown rice, but don't think it would be done in the oven in just 45 minutes, it takes that long boiling on the stove top. Glad I read the comments. I'll have to give this a try. - 12/1/20


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    Very Good
    I have a lemon tree so anything with lemon in the recipe is good for me. I'd prefer my breasts browned first I guess. This is really good though, thanks. - 12/1/20


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    Chicken was overcooked so next time I will brown quickly and bake shorter - 12/1/20


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    I have never had lemon chicken - 12/1/20


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    looks and sounds yummy - 7/13/20


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    is so good. thanks - 4/1/20


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    Yummy! - 3/6/20


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    I am going to make this recipe this weekend - 2/2/20


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    Very Good
    I made this using my Instant Pot. First I cooked the rice following the directions above only using chicken broth in place of water. 12 minutes in the IP. Then I sauteed the chicken in the IP & put the rice & broccoli back in. Another 5 minutes on manual setting. It was fantastic!! - 12/27/19


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    I only cooked the garlic, not the leeks. I placed both garlic and sliced leeks when I was placing these in the oven. Also added a dash of roasted cumin seeds to the dish. - 12/2/19


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    lookS GOOD LOVE LEMON - 12/1/19


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    O.K.
    A bit bland... I need to find something to give it some perk. - 12/1/19


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    Very Good
    This was a very good recipe - 12/1/19


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    I love lemon chicken - 12/1/19


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    Not big on the leeks - 12/1/19


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    Incredible!
    great recipe - 12/1/19


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    Incredible!
    Yes - 12/1/19


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    I love rice dishes! - 12/1/19


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    LOOKS GOOD - 12/1/19


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    Simple and tasty - 12/1/19


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    Delish ! - 12/1/19


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    Looks delicious - 11/10/19


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    It was good. - 10/14/19


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    Very Good
    Thanks for sharing - 3/31/19


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    Very Good
    Nutrient info for rice is correct. Recipe calls for 1 cup UNCOOKED brown rice. After cooking, the rice is now 2 cups the nutrient info for each serving is for 1/2 cup rice which is the cooked 2 cups. - 12/29/18


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    Incredible!
    I've made this dish before with the leeks or lemon which were both nice new additions for the recipe. Thanks! - 12/19/18


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    Good
    good - 12/16/18


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    An easy recipe for us. We are not fans of broccoli so left that out. The rest was good flavors. - 12/2/18


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    Sounds good. - 12/1/18


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    will try this - 12/1/18


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    thanks - 12/1/18


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    O.K.
    It was okay, bland, it needs some spice.
    I think it would be better to add the lemon juice at the end .. add some thyme and garlic
    - 12/1/18


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    Incredible!
    Tasty. I used bone broth instead of water and it was delicious. - 12/1/18


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    easy and delicious too - 9/23/18


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    Sounds good . Will try. - 4/9/18


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    Great recipe must make it sometime - 12/15/17


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    Very Good
    This is very tasty. I use 1/2 cup quinoa instead of the brown rice to lower the carbs and boost the protein. - 12/8/17


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    Very Good
    EASY AND I HAVE FRESH LEMONS - 12/4/17


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    Incredible!
    Delicious - 12/2/17


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    YUMMY - 12/2/17


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    Incredible!
    I prepare everything a head of time which made it really easy to make. Love this! - 12/2/17


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    looks delicious - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    This was good and easy to make and the family loved it. - 12/1/17


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    I have made this. Hubby liked. It was okay for me but I do not like the taste of most brown rices - 12/1/17


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    Very Good
    This is yummy. Needs seasoning with salt and pepper. Also, add broccoli (and I used green beans as well, to add more fibre) when you put the dish in the oven: the veg will still be crisp and crunchy when the rice is cooked. Took 30 mins prep time, but worth making. - 12/1/17


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    Very Good
    I left out some lemon and this was good. - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    My family loves this lemon chicken and rice casserole recipe! Delicious! - 12/1/17


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    Bad
    0 of 2 people found this review helpful

    MEAT LESS! HEALTH MORE!
    Confidence is contagious.
    So is lack of confidence.
    - Vince Lombardi
    - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    My husband loves this lemon chicken and rice casserole dish! - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    Love this casserole - 12/1/17


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    yummy - 12/1/17


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    yummy - 12/1/17


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    I used dark meat, it doesn't overcook like white meat. I also added fresh dill 5 minutes before it was ready. And I used red rice instead of brown. Pretty good! - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    yummy! - 12/1/17


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    Very Good
    It was good but had a bitter taste. I think I wouldn't use as much lemon next time. - 12/1/17


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    Good
    good - 12/1/17


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    Looks delish! - 12/1/17


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    Sounds delish - 12/1/17


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    I didn’t know that about slicing garlic. - 12/1/17


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    Easy and good. - 12/1/17


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    I WOULD MAKE THIS AGAIN - 12/1/17


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    This sounds fabulous. It is toward the top of my list of recipes to try! - 12/1/17


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    Be sure to thoroughly wash the leek! I think next time I'll sub in either sweet onion or purple onion. - 12/1/17


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    will not make it again - ok but not wonderful - 12/1/17


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    Incredible!
    Tasty!! - 12/1/17


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    thank you - 12/1/17


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    Great meal. - 12/1/17


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    Bad
    Too much lemon, stingy on the chicken. Leeks hard to deal with. Needs more tweaking, dill not tasty either. Disappointed. - 12/1/17


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    Good
    I tried it last night and was pretty good even though it did have a bitter taste - I'm not sure why. Probably won't make it again because there are so many other chicken recipes that I like better! - 12/2/15


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    Sounds great
    - 12/9/14


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    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    I'm confused by LRSIFERS concern about rice - I understand that the information is based on the ingredients for 1 serving - 1 c rice = 2 cups cooked/4 servings so wouldn't the 1/4 c noted in the information = 1/2 c cooked or 1 serving??? I confuse easily! Going to try the recipe and will rate. - 12/6/14