This easy lemon rice recipe makes a flavorful side dish that you’ll want to make on repeat. It’s great with chicken or fish and seafood. It’s seasoned with garlic, lemon juice and zest, and parsley. So easy and flavorful!
You may also want to try our garlic butter rice, cilantro lime rice, or coconut rice.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make lemon rice:
- Rice – use regular long-grain rice for this recipe. If using other rice types, the cooking time will be different.
- Olive oil – you can also use butter instead.
- Fresh garlic – dried garlic won’t give the same flavor.
- Lemon zest and juice – freshly squeezed!
- Oregano – omit or substitute with basil.
- Chicken broth – you can also use vegetable broth or just water but chicken broth will add more flavor.
- Fresh parsley – adds flavor and a pop of color.
What you could also add:
- some turmeric for color
- sauteed onion (sautee it before garlic)
- crumbled feta cheese
How to make lemon rice step by step
STEP 1: Finely chop garlic (preferably with a knife and not a garlic press).
Pressed garlic will have a more harsh garlic flavor while garlic chopped with a knife adds just garlic flavor without its sharpness.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over low heat. When hot add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
STEP 2: Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about 30-60 seconds, until all the rice grains are coated in oil.
NOTE: you could also rinse the rice first in cold water. I find it does not make a lot of difference so I usually omit this step. If you want to rinse rice, just rinse it in a sieve until water runs clear then add 2 tablespoons less broth to the pot (to factor in the extra water that says in the rice after rinsing it).
STEP 3: Add oregano and chicken broth, close the pot with a tightly-fitting lid (preferably transparent so you can see when the rice starts to boil), bring to a boil then reduce the temperature to low and cook for 14 minutes.
STEP 4: Take the pot off the heat and leave it (covered) to rest for 10 minutes.
STEP 5: Fluff the rice with a spatula or wooden spoon.
STEP 6: Season with lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir gently until combined.
TIP 1: I prefer zesting the lemon on a Microplane zester – the zest is really finely grated.
TIP 2: It’s really important to season the rice while it’s hot, it really infuses the rice with lemon flavor.
Enjoy!
Storage
Lemon rice stores very well. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheat in a pot.
Serving suggestions
- Greek Chicken Bowls
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Pistachio Crusted Fish
- Orange Maple Salmon
- Parmesan Crusted Cod
- Salmon with Almonds
- Mayo Parmesan Chicken
- Breaded Chicken Cutlets
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Lemon Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup (190g) uncooked long grain rice
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Finely chop garlic (preferably with a knife and not a garlic press).
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over low heat. When hot add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about 30-60 seconds, until all the rice grains are coated in oil.
- Add oregano and chicken broth, close the pot with a tightly-fitting lid (preferably transparent so you can see when the rice starts to boil), bring to a boil then reduce the temperature to low and cook for 14 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and leave it (covered) to rest for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a spatula or wooden spoon and season with lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir gently until combined.
- Enjoy!
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