My One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken is a 30-minute meal with minimal cleanup and ingredients you can easily find in your fridge and pantry. This dish has become a household favourite because it is easy and delicious.
This post is a lemon garlic chicken recipe using only one pot and easy ingredients you can find like lemon, garlic, carrots, onion, rice, old red wine, and chicken legs.
When it comes to family dinners, especially on busy days, simplicity is key. That’s why I love making my One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken. With minimal cleanup and ingredients you can easily find in your fridge and pantry, this dish has become a household favorite. The best part? It only takes 30 minutes to make, and my kids are more than happy to pack the leftovers for school lunches—especially when they get that extra lemon wedge on the side.
Rich Flavour and Fluffy Rice
This recipe is all about combining juicy chicken with flavorful rice, all cooked in one pot for ultimate convenience. Here's how it goes: marinate your chicken, wash the rice, sear the chicken skin for that crispy golden texture, and then sauté the rice in the same pot. After deglazing the pan with a splash of red wine and adding some chicken stock, the magic happens—just place the chicken on top and let everything simmer until the stock has been absorbed and the chicken is tender.
How Easy and Delicious It Is
This One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken is the definition of a simple, delicious meal. With just one pot and basic ingredients, you can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes. No need to juggle multiple pans or a long list of steps. You marinate the chicken, sear it to perfection, then cook the rice in the same pot with all those incredible flavors from the chicken and a splash of red wine. The result?
A tangy, savory, and incredibly flavorful meal that your whole family will love. The rice soaks up the garlic, lemon, and chicken stock, making every bite irresistible. And best of all, cleanup is a breeze with only one pot to wash.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
If you’re looking for a meal that’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor, this recipe is perfect for you. The combination of juicy chicken, garlic, and lemon makes for a mouthwatering dish that’s light but satisfying. The fact that the rice is cooked right in the same pot means it absorbs all the savory goodness from the chicken and stock, making it incredibly rich and flavorful.
With minimal prep, easily accessible ingredients, and very little cleanup, it’s the ultimate weeknight meal. Plus, if you have leftovers, it reheats beautifully for lunch the next day—just add a wedge of lemon for a fresh burst of flavor!
Ingredients
Chicken legs
I like to leave the skin on but you can take the skin off too. I heat the pot hot and when the skin hits the hot pan, its natural oil starts to come out making the perfect caramelize on the chicken.
White rice
I use regular Chinese rice. You can substitute it with brown rice or quinoa.
Chicken stock
I like making my homemade chicken stock, but you can purchase any other ones you like at the supermarket.
Lemons
Fresh lemon is used to marinate the chicken legs, and the final squeeze of it before serving.
Garlic
Fresh cloves of garlic to marinate the chicken brings so much flavour in flavouring the chicken. I always use fresh garlic cloves.
Old red wine
Look, I always have old red wine sitting in my pantry from a party or just one of those nights I need some mom time and then I forget about it. Old wine is more acidic and I find it brings so much flavour when it comes to deglazing the pot.
How to Make One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken legs with lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. Let it sit while you prepare the rest.
- Prepare the Rice: Wash your rice in a separate bowl until the water runs clear.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken legs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour the red wine into the pot, scraping up all the crispy bits left behind from the chicken. This will add tons of flavor!
- Sauté the Rice: Add the washed rice to the pot and stir it around in the deglazed sauce for a couple of minutes to let it soak up all the flavors.
- Cook Everything Together: Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken legs on top of the rice, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the stock is fully absorbed and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once the stock has disappeared, your one-pot meal is ready to serve! Garnish with lemon wedges for an extra citrusy kick.
My Family Recipe is Now Yours
As a busy mom, I’m always on the lookout for meals that are quick, easy, and nutritious. This One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken has become a lifesaver for so many nights when I need to get dinner on the table fast. It’s a dish that everyone in my family enjoys, and it’s so easy to make. The best part is that my kids love the leftovers!
When I send it with them to school, they’re excited to open their lunchbox, especially with a little extra lemon wedge on the side. Whether it’s for a busy weeknight or a school lunch, this dish is a family favorite in our home, and I’m sure it will be in yours too!
This post is a lemon garlic chicken recipe using only one pot and easy ingredients you can find like lemon, garlic, carrots, onion, rice, old red wine, and chicken legs.
One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Legs Marinate
- 6 whole chicken legs separate the thigh and drumstick, skin on
- 2 tbsp red wine
- ½ lemon juice
- 1 tsp Maggie Sauce
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ½ white onion grated
- 2 tsp sea salt
- black pepper
One Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
- 3 cups white rice wash and rinsed
- 2 carrots diced
- ½ cup green beans diced
- 2 garlic cloves smashed and diced
- 1 white onion diced
- ½ cup red wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ lemon juice
- salt
- cilantro
Instructions
Chicken Marinate
- Wash and clean the chicken. Trim out any extra fat but keep the skin on.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken legs with red wine, lemon juice, Maggie sauce, paprika, grated garlic, grated onion, salt, and black pepper. Let it sit while you prepare the rest.
One pot lemon garlic chicken
- Wash your rice in a separate bowl until the water runs clear. Set the strained rice aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Make sure the pan is very hot. Add the marinated chicken legs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy. I like the pot really hot so the oil from the skin bubbles out. If you find the chickens are sticking to the pot, add 1 tsp of oil. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Pour the red wine into the pot, scraping up all the crispy bits left behind from the chicken. Add the diced carrots, onion and garlic. Saute until soft.
- Add the washed rice to the pot and stir it around in the deglazed sauce for a couple of minutes to let it soak up all the flavors.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken legs on top of the rice, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the stock is fully absorbed and the chicken is cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice on top.
- Once the stock has disappeared, your one-pot meal is ready to serve! Garnish with lemon wedges for an extra citrusy kick and sprinkle with cilantro.
