Greek-Inspired Chicken & Rice

Posted by jorinced on
Sheet-pan Chicken with Dill rice

This week, I’m sharing a recipe for a Greek-inspired meal prep that yields eight servings. It’s an excellent choice for preparing your lunches and dinners for four days. Remember that cooked meat is at its best when refrigerated for up to four days. However, if you wish to extend the shelf life, consider freezing the food for future enjoyment.

Ingredients

Sheet-pan Chicken

  • 2/3 cup of olive oil
  • 7.5 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 3 lemons)
  • 5 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2.5 teaspoons of dried oregano
  • 1.5 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste)
  • 2/3 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 2 large red onions, thinly sliced into wedges
  • 10 Roma tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup of pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1.5 cups of crumbled feta cheese

Dill Rice:

  • 2 cups of basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1.5 cups of thinly sliced onions
  • 0.75 oz of dill weed
  • 1 teaspoon of salt (adjust to taste)

Salad

  • 2 English cucumbers (cut into 1/2-inch thick slices)

Instructions:

Preparing the Chicken

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and coat them thoroughly with the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange the marinated chicken thighs on it.
  5. Add the thinly sliced onions and halved Roma tomatoes to the sheet pan.
  6. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken, onions, and tomatoes.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and add the Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese. Return it to the oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked.

Preparing the Dill Rice:

  1. Rinse the 2 cups of rice until the water runs clear.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the Instant Pot, followed by the sliced onions. Sauté until translucent.
  4. Add the rice and toast it for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Stir in the dill weed, salt, and 3 cups of water.
  6. Seal the Instant Pot and select the Rice mode for steaming.
  7. Allow the rice to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Before and after: I added feta cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Food Storage:

For optimal food storage, place the chicken, vegetables, rice, and cucumbers in airtight containers and refrigerate them for up to four days. To portion the meal, place the chicken in the larger compartment and the rice and baked vegetables in the smaller compartments. If there is any leftover sauce from the sheet pan, add it to the veggies. Leave the cucumber slices on the Chicken.

Reheating & Serving:

To reheat, simply microwave the meal for 1-2 minutes, and it’s ready to enjoy!

Recipe courtesy: Rice, Chicken

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