Sign up with your email address to be the first to know about new products, VIP offers, blog features & more.

One Pot Middle Eastern Chicken and Rice

68 305.2K views

Seasoned flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken with turmeric rice is a meal the whole family will love. It’s super easy to make, and makes a great weeknight meal because it’s fast to prepare and all made in one pot. The ultimate comfort food, but with a healthy twist!

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned tumeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

I absolutely love this Middle Eastern Chicken recipe because it is full of flavors that are warm and comforting. For me comfort food is all about eating a meal that reminds you of home, and whenever I have this middle eastern chicken I am instantly transported to my childhood and family dinners around the dinner table.

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

From a young age my mom always stressed the importance of using fresh and quality ingredients whenever we made a meal. Saturday mornings were spent at the farmers market picking up local produce, meat, and chicken to use to prepare in the meals for the week. Now that I’m an adult I still shop this way, and today’s middle eastern chicken recipe is no different.

I teamed up with Foster Farms to bring you a dish that redefines comfort food, and to introduce to you the #NewComfortFood, a modern healthy twist using mostly local and seasonal ingredients.

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

For the chicken, I used Foster Farms Simply Raised Fresh Chicken. Family owned, California grown, and free of antibiotics this was of course the natural choice. I absolutely love that I can make a run to my local grocery store (I picked this up at Ralph’s), and know that I am getting chicken that has been raised right in my own state. It just inspires me to create healthier versions of my favorite comfort food. For more creative and healthy recipes be sure to check out Foster Farms website for some inspiration!

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

The flavors of this middle eastern chicken are bold and in your face. I call it middle eastern because of the spices of turmeric, cumin, and curry that are used in the dish. It’s even better because the chicken sits on a bed of rice that has been flavored with turmeric, and the juices of the fresh chicken. It’s cooked together all in one pan building layers and layers of flavor. The chicken is seared until golden brown first, and then the rice is added and finishes cooking in the oven. I love cooking rice in the oven because of how much flavor it absorbs.

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

I hope this dish inspires you to revisit your favorite comfort food recipes, and transform them into the #NewComfortFood, healthy but just as indulging. Check out the recipe below.

More Chicken Recipes from Ev’s Eats! 

A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

One Pot Middle Eastern Chicken

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Seasoned flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken with turmeric rice is a meal the whole family will love. It’s super easy to make, and makes a great weeknight meal because it’s fast to prepare and all made in one pot. The ultimate comfort food, but with a healthy twist!

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 5 skin on, bone in chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp of lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp of turmeric
  • 1 tbsp of cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp of curry
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of black pepper

For the Rice

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
  • 1½ cups basmati rice
  • 1½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp of turmeric
  • 1 tsp of cumin
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the chicken and all the ingredients for the chicken in a large resealable bag, and let marinade for at least 30 minutes (preferably over night for more flavor).
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  3. In a large oven safe skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet skin side down and cook until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes), then flip over and cook the other side until golden brown (another 3-5 minutes).
  4. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  5. Remove any black or burnt bits from the pan, and add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan over medium high heat.
  6. Add the onions to the skillet with the oregano, turmeric, and cumin. Saute until the onions become translucent.
  7. Add the garlic and basmati rice and saute for 1 minute, just until the rice begins to turn golden.
  8. Add the chicken broth, water, and salt and bring to a simmer. Place the cooked chicken thighs directly on top of the rice and liquid. Once the liquid has begun to simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven to continue cooking.
  9. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  10. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with grilled lemon slice, and fresh parsley.
  11. Serve as is, or with Greek yogurt and fresh kale that has been massaged with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 264Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 1578mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.
A flavorful Middle Eastern Chicken made with seasoned turmeric rice all in one pot! Fuss free this middle eastern chicken is super easy to make.

Share this article

Leave a Reply

68 Comments
  • Elizabeth
    September 5, 2016

    Such a beautiful looking dish! I love all the spices you’ve used here. Middle Eastern cuisine is my favourite.

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      Thanks Elizabeth! It’s one of my favorites as well. I probably have it at least once a week.

    • Karen
      January 24, 2024

      My husband said this recipe was a keeper! Thank you!

  • Tara
    September 5, 2016

    Such a wonderful meal! I love the color of that turmeric rice and the chicken looks incredible. So perfect for a one pot meal.

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      Thanks Tara. I love the color turmeric gives off as well!

  • Janette@CulinaryGinger
    September 5, 2016

    I have all the ingredient to make this, it looks delicious. Love Foster Farms chicken.

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      🙂

  • Dahn
    September 5, 2016

    This looks so good. I love a one pot meal for weeknight dinners.

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      thanks Dahn!

  • Lisa
    September 5, 2016

    Oh my goodness…this sounds delicious! I imagine it smelled fantastic when you were cooking it!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      It had the whole house smelling so aromatic!

  • Akhila@Pepper Delight
    September 6, 2016

    Yum Yum !!! Omg I am drooling here :-), This looks soo good, and your photos are amazing !!!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      Thank you Akhila <3

  • linda spiker
    September 6, 2016

    Gorgeous! Pinned and am definitely going to make!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      Thanks Linda! Come back and let me know how it turns out!

  • Meghan
    September 6, 2016

    This recipe looks amazing! I’m saving this one for dinner this week!

    Meghan | BeyondBasicBlog.com

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      Hope you like it Meghan!

  • Brittany_WMSB
    September 6, 2016

    OMG this looks to die for! I can’t wait to try it!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      thank you!

  • Madeline
    September 6, 2016

    Such a lovely combo of flavors! I love one pot meals!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      they are the best kind of meals! thanks Madeline!

  • Leah
    September 6, 2016

    This sounds unbelievably tasty! I love all the flavors in this, yum!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      thank you Leah!

  • JeeYoung Dubs
    September 6, 2016

    mmm so amazing, looks great!

    • evseats
      September 7, 2016

      thanks!

  • Morgan
    September 12, 2016

    I made this last week, and it was a hit! The only thing we did is leave out the onion in the rice (my boyfriend is a bit of a texture critic – he can’t stand onions in rice). It was amazing! We definitely will be making this again and again.

    • evseats
      September 13, 2016

      Thanks Morgan! I’m so glad you guys liked it 🙂 It’s one of my favorite recipes! Thanks for coming back to tell me how it turned out.

  • michelle
    October 4, 2016

    Would a dutch oven work for this instead of a cast iron skillet? I don’t have a lid for my skillet!

    • evseats
      October 4, 2016

      Hey Michelle! A dutch oven would definitely work! I also don’t have a lid for my cast iron skillet so I covered it with aluminum foil, and then covered it with a sheet pan. 🙂 Hope this helps!

  • amanda
    November 21, 2016

    can i use chicken breasts for this if i dont have thighs? never made anything like this but looks delicious! TFS 🙂

    • evseats
      November 22, 2016

      Hi Amanda! Thanks so much! You can definitely use chicken breasts in replacement of the thighs. Just cook the breasts 10 minutes less than the thighs so you don’t end up with dry chicken! Hope you enjoy 🙂

  • Melanie
    January 10, 2017

    This is the greatest recipe! I did it last night for my mom and me and we absolutely loved it, the flavors are incredible!

    Thank you for this recipe, I look forward to looking at the other ones you have on here.

  • Tamanna Porna
    February 9, 2017

    Hi Evi, Tried this today, had all the ingredients except the oregano, i put dried basil instead! It came out really good. Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe! Love.

    • evseats
      April 14, 2017

      Hey Tamanna!
      Yay! I’m so glad you liked, and love that you substituted basil for oregano! I’ll have to try that! 🙂
      Keep in touch <3 Evi

    • Regina
      December 4, 2022

      Can you cook this in a slow cooker?

      • Evi Aki
        December 6, 2022

        Yes, you can! But I would broil the chicken afterwards so that it can be crispy.

  • nas
    February 22, 2017

    Is there a way to avoid the oven, and continue cooking it on the stove? How would I adjust the recipe if I wanted to only use the stove? Thanks!

    • evseats
      February 27, 2017

      Hi Nas, yes you are going to need to sear the chicken for 10 minutes on each side to make sure it’s cooked all the way through before you go on to add the rice. From there you should be able to follow the rest of the steps and cooking will be the same! Let me know if this helps!!

  • DCA
    March 27, 2017

    Not really Middle Eastern, as we don’t use turmeric, cumin, and curry. Perhaps in Morocco, India. At any rate, looks great and I will try it this weekend

    • Karen
      July 12, 2023

      Interesting. Where exactly are you from? I grew up in the middle east and we use cumin and turmeric in everything…majadra

  • Arnold Smith
    April 6, 2017

    Looked at the ingredients and feeling that the quantities of spices and herbs are rather high I reduced table spoons to generous tea spoons! Turned out really well with addition of a topping of yoghurt/mayonnaise/lemon juice/white vinegar/parsley with a few other bits and pieces. Will do this again!

    • evseats
      April 6, 2017

      Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

  • Laura Wasley
    April 17, 2017

    Great recipe, easy and tasty. Thank you

  • Darragh Dickson
    May 22, 2017

    Hi! im wondering if i need to steam the rice beforehand, or just put the uncooked rice in the pan.

    • evseats
      May 22, 2017

      Hi Darragh! No need to steam the rice. It cooks together with the chicken all in the pan!

  • Charish M
    June 2, 2017

    2nd time making this and my partner and I LOVE IT! Come together really quickly and easily too! Thanks for sharing ☺️

    • evseats
      June 21, 2017

      Yay!! So glad you guys love it Charish!!! Thanks for letting me know

  • Erin
    June 19, 2017

    I made this today and it came out delicious! The only thing I changed was to use zata’ar instead of cumin and oregano, and I used drumsticks instead of chicken thighs.

    • evseats
      June 21, 2017

      Oooh I love zata’ar! Nice twist, and glad you enjoyed it 🙂

  • cheryl
    June 19, 2017

    Hey! made this tonight, just like your recipe says and it was wonderful!!! oh….sorry…forgot the salt but just added to taste…..the recipe came out great and my husband loved it. we try to eat healthy and the organic chicken with basmati rice and turmeric and lemon slices….yummo! Definitely will be making this again…and often!!! Thanks!

    • evseats
      June 21, 2017

      Hey Cheryl! Thanks so much! I’m so glad you guys liked it!

  • Kelli
    August 8, 2017

    Can I use brown jasmine rice?

    • evseats
      August 8, 2017

      Hi Kelli! You can! The cook time on the rice will just be longer since it’s brown rice! Xx Evi

  • Kelli
    August 8, 2017

    I was also thinking about doing half chicken broth half coconut milk., what do you think?

    • evseats
      August 21, 2017

      Hi Kelli! I haven’t thought about adding coconut milk to this but you’re welcome to try! Let me know hot it turns out!

  • Jamie
    November 4, 2022

    Awesome! This chicken rice meal looks absolutely delicious! Plus it’s a complete meal for everyone to enjoy! The chicken looks juicy making this so enticing and tempting! Loved it!

  • Amy Liu Dong
    November 5, 2022

    I love how easy, delicious, and flavorful this recipe it. I am so excited to make this at home.

  • Rachel
    April 13, 2023

    I’ve made this before and it’s 5 stars amazing. Can I use chicken wings for this dish? If so any adjustments I have to make?

    • Evi Aki
      May 18, 2023

      Yes, you can use chicken wings. You just need to adjust the amount of time they will cook for. Wings will not take as long as the thighs to cook so you want to be mindful as to not dry out your chicken.

  • Kieren
    May 2, 2023

    Was pretty good, cooked it while camping, very filling

  • Lex
    July 25, 2023

    I made this and I don’t understand how meat can be marinated in an abundance of spices and only 2 table spoons of lemon juice?? This is a good start to a tasty dish but in its current state it isn’t thought out. Not making this again.

  • Joe
    October 19, 2023

    I looked at the recipe and am very interested in trying it. I love Mideastern food. I would like to know if I can use skinless boneless thighs instead. Perhaps I need to adjust the cooking time?

    • Evi Aki
      November 25, 2023

      Yes you can use boneless thighs. They will just cook faster!

  • Mille
    February 15, 2024

    I made the mistake of combining all the spices in a bowl with the lemon juice and it turned into a crumbly, dry paste. I ended up having to try to rub each individual piece – which does not work well – before I put it in the bag. I used some olive oil to make the spices easier to spread around. I’m wondering if the spices are meant to be sprinkled over first, then drizzled with the lemon. Hoping it comes out ok.

  • Millie
    February 15, 2024

    Did you add the yogurt and such to the marinade? I just put this together and I believe you are correct, it doesn’t really work with the amount of spices vs the small amount of lemon (and I doubled the lemon juice)

  • evseats
    September 13, 2016

    Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed reading it 🙂

  • 賓果開獎
    September 13, 2016

    賓果開獎

    Generally I don’t read post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice article.

Skip to Recipe
%d bloggers like this: