Lemon-Turmeric Chicken and Rice with Pickled Red Onion
By Nicole KonstantinakosPublished on August 19, 2025
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer to use an aromatic variety of long-grain white rice here, such as jasmine or basmati, but any variety of long-grain white rice will work. Be sure to rinse rice thoroughly, until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch before cooking. You will need a skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Whisk ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ teaspoon confectioners’ sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon table salt together in medium bowl; add ½ small red onion, sliced thin, and toss to combine. Whisk ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in small bowl. Refrigerate onion mixture and yogurt separately until ready to serve.
- Combine 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in second small bowl. Pat 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with spice mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken skinned side down and cook without moving until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes (do not flip chicken; only 1 side is browned). Transfer chicken browned side up to clean plate; set aside.
- Off heat, stir thinly sliced whites of 6 scallions and 3 minced garlic cloves into fat remaining in skillet and cook in residual heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2¼ cups chicken broth, 1½ cups rinsed long-grain white rice, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits.
- Nestle chicken into rice mixture, browned side up, along with any accumulated juices. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer until liquid is absorbed and chicken registers at least 175 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Drain onion and discard remaining liquid. Drizzle yogurt mixture over chicken and rice in skillet. Sprinkle with pickled onion; 1 jalapeño, sliced into thin rings; and thinly sliced greens of 6 scallions. Serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
When skipping a home-cooked meal just isn’t an option, but time is tight, this one-pan wonder goes from pantry to table in an hour. Endlessly customizable, the combination of chicken and rice is a comforting, economical, and delicious meal across the globe. For this version, the method is simple. We started by making some quick-pickled onions and a simple lemon-yogurt sauce as garnishes and set those aside while preparing the chicken and rice. Next we seasoned boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a robust mixture of salt, turmeric, ginger, and just a hint of cinnamon before searing them in a hot skillet. After setting aside the chicken, we built an aromatic base of scallion whites and garlic for the rice and then added rice and broth to the skillet, scraping up all of the browned bits. We nestled the chicken into the rice mixture and simmered everything for about 20 minutes. Finishing with our beautiful garnishes, this meal was ready to serve, and wow, right out of the skillet.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use an aromatic variety of long-grain white rice here, such as jasmine or basmati, but any variety of long-grain white rice will work. Be sure to rinse rice thoroughly, until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch before cooking. You will need a skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Whisk ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ teaspoon confectioners’ sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon table salt together in medium bowl; add ½ small red onion, sliced thin, and toss to combine. Whisk ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in small bowl. Refrigerate onion mixture and yogurt separately until ready to serve.
- Combine 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in second small bowl. Pat 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with spice mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken skinned side down and cook without moving until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes (do not flip chicken; only 1 side is browned). Transfer chicken browned side up to clean plate; set aside.
- Off heat, stir thinly sliced whites of 6 scallions and 3 minced garlic cloves into fat remaining in skillet and cook in residual heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2¼ cups chicken broth, 1½ cups rinsed long-grain white rice, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits.
- Nestle chicken into rice mixture, browned side up, along with any accumulated juices. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer until liquid is absorbed and chicken registers at least 175 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Drain onion and discard remaining liquid. Drizzle yogurt mixture over chicken and rice in skillet. Sprinkle with pickled onion; 1 jalapeño, sliced into thin rings; and thinly sliced greens of 6 scallions. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments