Recipe Background
Citrus Chicken and Rice shines with fresh lemons and a nostalgic marinade.
This dish took shape during my first post-college road trip, an epic drive to rediscover my roots and sample cuisine across the states. Stopping by a small-town Sunday market, I was seduced by the vivid citrus stand, bursting with lemons more vibrant than any I’d seen. With a stash of fresh, tangy lemons in tow, my next stop was a roadside farm where locals swore by their pasture-raised chicken. Every bite was a reminiscence, yet an exploration. That night at a modest yet sunlit Airbnb kitchen, the idea for this citrusy chicken and rice was born.
Guided less by recipe books and more by instinct, I whisked together lemon juice with soy sauce—a bold homage to my college roommate’s secret marinade—and layered it over those beautiful chicken thighs. As the dish filled the cabin with its aromatic promise, I realized the secret rested in letting the garlic-ginger marinade seep through the chicken for as long as I could stand to wait. The citrus slices atop created a visual that made the new experience feel nostalgic, a tip picked up from a seasoned chef at a festival who insisted presentation was half the taste. I learned patience too, allowing the dish to rest after baking, the flavors mingling irresistibly, just like the memories made on that trip.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 16 chicken thighs bone-in, skin removed
- 2 cups long-grain rice uncooked
- 4 tablespoons lemon zest grated and divided
- 2 medium lemons sliced
Directions
- In a large, shallow dish, combine the water, the soy sauce, the lemon juice, the olive oil, the garlic, the ginger, and the pepper.
- Add the chicken to the soy sauce and spice mixture and turn to coat.
- Cover the chicken dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease two 19x13-inch baking dishes.
- Spread 1 cup of the rice into each of the prepared dishes.
- Top the rice in both dishes with 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, 8 of the chicken thighs, and 1/2 of the marinade.
- Top both dishes with the sliced lemons.
- Bake, covered, for 40 minutes.
- Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 170-175 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest.
- Serve.
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