Crispy Lemon Chicken and Rice Skillet with Spinach and Feta

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Last night's roast chicken and a tub of cold rice become a golden, crisp-bottomed skillet dinner in under half an hour. The rice fries in olive oil until the grains turn nutty and crunchy at the edges, then wilted spinach, plenty of lemon and crumbled feta pull it all together. One pan, ten ingredients, and no one will guess it started as leftovers.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cups cold cooked rice, leftover, clumps broken up
• 2 cups leftover roast chicken, shredded or torn
• 4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 3/4 cup feta, crumbled
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Take the rice out of the fridge and break up any clumps with your fingers or a fork so the grains are loose — this is the difference between crisp rice and a sticky mash. Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then cut the lemon in half.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until softened at the edges. Add the garlic and oregano and cook 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the rice. Spread it into an even layer, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper, and let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes so a golden crust forms on the bottom.
4. Stir the rice, scraping up the crisp bits, then fold in the shredded chicken. Press flat again and cook undisturbed for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is heated through and more of the rice has browned.
5. Pile the spinach on top, turn the heat to medium, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes just until it wilts into the rice. Remove from the heat.
6. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon, add the zest, and stir. Scatter the feta over the top, taste and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper as needed, and serve straight from the pan.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem