Baked Lemony Chicken with Olives, Artichokes, and Brown Rice

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By Sally Vargas
Updated August 27, 2021
Lemony Chicken meal with Gold Peak Sweet Tea - portrait

Easy, flavor-packed family meals are at the top of our to-do list this season. And it doesn’t get much better than chicken baked on top of lemony rice: the big flavors of tart lemon, briny olives, artichoke hearts, sweet cherry tomatoes, and feta pair perfectly with Gold Peak Sweet Tea for a comforting meal you’ll turn to again and again.

Lemony Chicken Dish

You set the timetable for this dish, so it can truly work within your family’s busy schedule. 

Start by making a lemon and herb marinade and let the chicken steep in it at your convenience, for 1 to 4 hours. You can marinate the chicken several hours ahead, but it’s fine to shorten the time to about an hour if you’re inspired to make it at the last minute. And the best news? The only chopping involved here is a handful of oregano and parsley.

Lemony Chicken Dish precooked

Simplicity Rules

The real beauty of this stunner is how easy it is to pull together. Brown rice gets a head start in the oven and after about 25 minutes the chicken and goodies go on top. The rice soaks up all the complex flavors as the chicken bakes. 

Finally, a quick turn under the broiler transforms the chicken into a tantalizing golden brown, and the rice becomes pleasantly crispy around the edges. This will be your go-to chicken recipe for a long time to come, and the leftovers – if there are any – are almost even better!

Lemony Chicken Meal and Gold Peak Tea

The Perfect Pairing

To round out the meal, wash it down with Gold Peak Tea. The convenient bottles of real brewed tea made from high quality tea leaves picked at their peak offer so many refreshing choices: Gold Peak Sweet Tea made with real cane sugar, Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea made with filtered water, the same high-quality Gold Peak Green Tea with zero calories, and Gold Peak Zero Sugar diet tea. Mild flavors and no artificial ingredients: take your pick and enjoy!

Baked Lemony Chicken with Olives, Artichokes, and Brown Rice

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Marinating Time 4 hrs
Total Time 5 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

  • For the marinade:
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
  • 6 large bone-in chicken thighs with skin (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
  • For the chicken:
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice 
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 (14-ounce) can or jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained of water or oil
  • 1/2 cup pitted black olives
  • 4 ounces Feta, crumbled 
  • Chopped oregano and parsley (for garnish)

Method

1. Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil together. Stir in the parsley and oregano. 

With scissors, trim the excess skin and fat from the chicken thighs. Add to the bowl of marinade and turn to coat them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Step 1

2. Partially cook the rice

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. 

In a medium saucepan over high heat or in a microwave-safe measuring cup, bring the water, stock, salt, and lemon juice to a boil. Fold in the rice. 

Pour the rice mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.

Step 2

3. Add the tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and chicken to the baking dish

Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil. Arrange the tomatoes, artichokes, and olives on top.

Step 3

Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the rice and set aside about 1/4 cup of the marinade for brushing on the chicken later. 

Cover tightly with the foil and return to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken registers 160ºF when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the center of a thigh.

4. Brown the chicken under the broiler

Set a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and turn on the broiler. Remove the foil and brush the chicken with some of the reserved marinade. Broil for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is golden.

Step 4

5. Sprinkle with feta and oregano and serve

Remove pan from the oven and set on a heatproof surface. Remove the foil and sprinkle the chicken with feta and more chopped herbs. Serve straight from the baking dish with your choice of Gold Peak real brewed teas.