Description
Follow this recipe to make fluffy, zesty Greek Lemon Rice using chicken broth for deep flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups long-grain white rice (such as Basmati or Carolina), rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown the onion.
- Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the grains are lightly coated and slightly translucent around the edges. This toasts the rice.
- Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for an additional 10 minutes. This allows the rice to steam and finish cooking.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving warm.
Notes
- Rinsing the rice removes excess starch, which helps keep the grains separate and fluffy.
- Use good quality chicken broth; it is the primary source of flavor in this dish.
- For a tangier flavor, increase the lemon juice by 1 tablespoon, but taste before adding more to avoid excessive sourness.
- This rice pairs well with grilled chicken, baked fish, or roasted lamb.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop Pilaf
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup cooked
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 5