Lemony Chicken & Rice Skillet with Spinach and Feta

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A 20-minute weeknight rescue for the two things most likely to be sitting in your fridge: the last of a roast chicken and a container of cold rice. Everything crisps up in one skillet with garlic and oregano, then gets finished off the heat with lemon, wilted spinach and crumbled feta so it tastes bright and new rather than reheated.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cups cold cooked rice (leftover)
• 2 cups leftover roast chicken, shredded or torn
• 5 oz baby spinach
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 4 oz feta, crumbled
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Break up the cold leftover rice with your fingers in a bowl so there are no clumps, and tear the leftover roast chicken into bite-size shreds. Cold, dry rice is what lets it crisp instead of steam.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and just starting to colour at the edges.
3. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the rice. Press the rice into an even layer and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir and repeat twice more, about 6 minutes total, until some grains are golden and crisp.
4. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for 2 minutes, just until heated through. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper.
5. Add the spinach in two handfuls, stirring for about 2 minutes until wilted and any liquid has cooked off. Remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Stir through the lemon zest and half the lemon juice, then scatter over the feta. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the cheese softens, taste, and add the rest of the lemon juice if you want it sharper. Serve straight from the pan.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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