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Keeping things simple, but delicious with this One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf. It’s everyone’s favorite dinner made easy and delicious in one pot. Pan-seared chicken roasted up alongside nutty wild rice, warming rosemary, and autumn vegetables. Dijon and lemon keep this dish light, but or so flavorful. This roasted chicken and rice dinner is a hearty but healthy meal to cook any night of the week, especially as the weather begins to cool. And the best part? It’s the easiest dinner to prepare and one the whole family will love.
As I sit here typing away, it’s blowing snow outside my window, my heater is on, my candles are lit, and it’s the coziest winter night…
Only, it’s September…and it’s not even fall yet. And we actually have two full weeks until fall officially arrives (let alone winter!). I know the above sounds like a nice wintery scene, but guys, I’m going to be honest, I’m not ready for this kind of weather. Not even close.
And I’m not talking a light flurry, I’m talking full-on snowstorm! This amount of snow on September 8th? Yeah, that’s just not something I can embrace.
On the bright side, all this snow is giving me the perfect excuse to cook up all the cozy fall dinners on the earlier side. I know you guys are still enjoying warm summer days, but we can all enjoy a good cozy dinner regardless of the weather, right?
I think we can! And while today’s recipe is cozy and hearty, it’s also healthy, colorful, and beyond delicious. Full-on comfort food, but not the heavy kind. This is the perfect transition recipe to slowly welcome the fall days ahead.
THIS, I can be excited about.
The story.
Once September hits, I quickly transition into creating more one pot dinners, easy family meals, and recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.
You all know the story, but growing up my dad would serve up chicken recipes at least a couple times a week. It was his staple dinner. However, on cold Sunday nights throughout the fall and winter, my mom would often roast a whole chicken, alongside carrots, with a simple rice pilaf style side dish and bread (mom likes her bread with every meal).
This dish is kind of a combination of both of their dinners, and it’s made easy in one pot. It’s got the ease of dad’s chicken and rice, but all the hearty flavors of mom whole roasted chicken.
So it’s a nice balance and truly such a wonderfully comforting meal…and yes, it smells incredible as it roasts away in the oven.
The details on this one pot lemon rosemary dijon chicken.
Like all my one pot recipes, this one is pretty straight forward, though it does have a few ingredients. Please don’t let that scare you away, I promise this is going to be easy…
I like to season my chicken with a sprinkling of paprika, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. I prefer to use mostly chicken breasts since they’re what my family prefers. But I also always love including a couple chicken thighs for added flavor. You can use either or both, just use what you and your family love most.
Now, sear the chicken to get it golden and crisp. After you sear the chicken, remove it from the pan and add in all the flavor. Meaning the shallots, vegetables, butter, wild rice, and lots of fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme. I like to cook the rice in butter to get it nice and toasty before adding in the liquid. This is such a simple step, but it adds so much flavor.
Moving along…
After you toast the rice, toss in an apple and pour in the apple cider and white wine.
The apple and apple cider add a sweet autumn flavor that’s unexpected, but delicious. I absolutely love the pairing of wild rice, apples, and cider. I also like to use a little dijon mustard, it ties everything together in a beautiful savory way.
If the apple sounds too odd, you don’t have to use it, but I do find it to be especially delicious.
At this point, you’ll want to transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking. As the chicken roasts, the rice soaks up all the flavors from the cider and wine. It then becomes infused with rosemary.
By the end of cooking, the kitchen should be smelling like Thanksgiving. It’s an unexpected but welcomed scent that will only get you that much more excited for dinner. Nothing beats this cozy scent, it’s beyond good.
Once you pull the pan out, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve everything together.
Simple, easy, healthy, and so delicious. This is a complete all-in-one dinner. Of course, you could also add a side of bread or a big salad, that would be delicious too.
This is one of those recipes that I’ll be coming back to time and time again. I love the idea of a Sunday night roasted chicken dinner. But honestly, it’s easy enough for any night of the week.
Looking for other cozy family dinners? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Prosciutto Apple and Sage Butter Chicken with Cider Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this one pot lemon rosemary dijon chicken and butter toasted rice pilaf be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 572 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice blend (mix wild and brown rice)
- 1/2 cup dry orzo pasta
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 whole sprig + 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- 1 small honeycrisp apple, chopped (optional)
- 2 cups apple cider (not vinegar)
- 1 cup dry white wine such, as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season the chicken with paprika, lemon zest, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet/braiser set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and cook on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan. 3. To the skillet, add the shallots, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes, until just caramelized. Add the butter, wild rice, orzo, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and apple, if using. Cook 5 minutes, until lightly toasted and golden. Add the apple cider, wine, dijon, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. 4. Slide the chicken back into the pan. Add the rosemary sprig. Bake, covered, for 30-40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. During the last 10-15 minutes of cooking remove the lid and allow the chicken to crisp, if needed, add in 1/4 cup additional water or chicken broth to keep the rice from getting dry.5. To serve, fluff the rice with a fork and serve the chicken, rice, and veggies together. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on September 10, 2020
How would you adjust cooking time if omitting the wild rice and use only parboiled brown rice that cooks in 20 minutes?
Hey Mike,
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend using parboiled rice for this recipe as you want to allow the chicken enough time to cook. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
does the chicken have the skin on?
Hey Charolette,
You can use chicken with the skin on or off. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Perfect in every way. Made for some
Friends tonight and it was a hit! Easily made gluten free by omitting the orzo, but I’ll add it when I’m just making it for my family without any dietary restrictions.
Love that! I am really glad this turned out so well for you all, Nicole! xTieghan
Made this recipe for dinner last night. There is quite a bit of prep, so give yourself some time, but once everything is measured and chopped, it’s a cinch to make. I didn’t know where in the process to add the apples or the lemon juice as others have commented. We added the apples at the same time as the wine and cider. Forgot to add in the lemon juice, but think it might have toned down the sweetness. It is a hearty one-pot recipe. I think of it as the ideal dinner for a cold winter night, I used black rice and heirloom carrots and boneless chicken breasts. Next time, I will try with boneless thighs. My husband loved this recipe and he is very particular with his commentary for good food. This recipe is a keeper!
Thank you so much Jennifer!! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
This is my first HBH recipe I’ve ever attempted and now I know I’ll be hooked! So easy yet so thoughtful. My home smells AMAZING and so autumnal—I’m so cozy right now, haha. I made this meal to surprise my husband after a long day’s work and I’m so excited to have a cozy, warm, comforting meal ready for us to enjoy together. Food is medicine; both physically and emotionally! Thank you!
Thank you so much Taylor! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes!! xTieghan
When do you add the apple and lemon juice?
Hey Renee,
So sorry for the confusion, you add the lemon juice with the cider and the apples with orzo! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Update: ended up pouring juice from 1/2 lemon into the dish. This was bar far the best recipe I have found in a long time. Taste was a WOW. I cut the chicken breast in 1/2 before cooking. Won’t do that again as chicken was somewhat dry after baking 30 min. And rice could have used another 5-10. I will figure it out as I won’t give up on this dish, amazing!
Amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! I am sorry for the late reply, I was attending my cousins wedding this weekend! xTieghan
I am making this now, however there is no direction as to when to use/add the lemon juice. I do notice someone else had the same question but did not get a reply.
Hey Diana,
So sorry for the confusion, you can add this with the cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Any suggestions for a substitute if omitting the wine? Or just leave it out? Thanks this looks so good!
Hey Melissa,
You could use chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What pot are you using?
Hey Jennifer,
This was a vintage find by my dad:) xTieghan
@aisha – I could be wrong, but I don’t think you’re supposed to use apple cider vinegar. I think it’s supposed to be just straight up apple cider, which would make a big difference! The recipe lists apple cider and doesn’t say anything about it being vinegar (though I initially thought apple cider vinegar as well).
Did you use hard cider in this recipe? I think I will try it with bone-in chicken thighs with skin. Looks amazing!
Hey Beth,
I used apple cider like the juice but hard cider would be great as well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’m a BIG fan of hbh. Never had a recipe fail before but this one tastes like pure apple cider vinegar to me. I would go without and use water next time.
Hi Aisha! I am really sorry to hear that. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! My family absolutely loved it!
Quick question though – the ingredients call for the juice & zest of a lemon, but I don’t see anywhere in the post where I’m supposed to use it?
Also so glad I added the apple. SO YUMMY!
Hey Haley,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! So sorry for the confusion, you can add this with the cider! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi T – when do we add the lemon juice? I see it in the ingredients but don’t see it in the instructions Thanks!.
Hey Andrea,
So sorry for the confusion, you can add the lemon juice with the cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan