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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
This was tasty but long grain rice takes a full 45 minutes to cook so it didn’t get done. If I make it again I will cover and simmer the rice for 15 minutes before adding the chicken back in, covering and baking in the oven. I also subbed chicken broth for the cider because we don’t like cider. But the other flavors in the dish were amazing and I will make it again with those modifications!
Thank you so much Tarra! I hope you love this even more next time! xTieghan
When do we add apple and lemon juice?
Hey Jess,
Sorry for the confusion, you can add the apple with the orzo and the lemon juice with the cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hey, When would you add in the chopped apple?
Hey,
You can add the apple with the orzo! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was super good! We didn’t have any cooking white wine on hand (only nice stuff from vineyards we weren’t ready to open), so we used our boxed Vielle de Ferme red and it was so hearty. With the red wine it had a deep rustic flavor to it, and my husband and I both think it would be great with some softened dried prunes and crushed walnuts next time!
That is so amazing to hear! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Miranda! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this last night (and although not quite the fall / winter-like weather you were having when you shared the recipe video) and it was awesome! What a tasty, delicious meal with a hug. It was like comfort food. We made it with 2 huge chicken breast. There is a lot of the rice veggie mix left over we will make thighs tonight!
Thank you so much Cheryl!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Is that supposed to be 2 cups of apple cider vinegar or two tablespoons.? Two cups seems like a lot
Thx
Hey Ro,
You want to use 2 cups of apple cider, not apple cider vinegar:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh my gosh I added apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider and it tastes horrible! Any tips on how to fix this!!? I love hbh, everything else I have made has been delicous!
Hey Hilary,
Oh no! I am so sorry! Not sure there is much you can do at this point. xTieghan
This was overall a delicious recipe, however the wild rice took twice as long as prescribed to cook, resulting in overdone chicken. I should have precooked the wild rice to some extent in advance.
Thank you so much Debra! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
The wild rice turned out pretty crunchy. Definitely need to add more liquid while baking. Bake on the longer side while covered so that the rice can cook fully.
Hi Elliott! I am sorry about that! If there is anything I can help with, please let me know! xTieghan
When do the chopped apples and lemon juice come in?
Hey Gretchen,
Sorry for the confusion, you can add the apples with the orzo and the lemon with the cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious! Makes the entire house smell good and fall-like. I used the optional apple and highly recommend. Also used double the amount of chicken and still have tons of the rice left over but that’s a good thing. It takes much longer than 15 minutes to prep though. I am a pescatarian so I made a piece of salmon (Seasoned the same as the chicken) to serve with my rice and it was a great pairing,
Thank you so much Tara! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
When do you add the apple and the juice from the lemon?
Thanks
Tenell
Hey Tenell,
Sorry for the confusion, you can add the apple with the orzo and the lemon with the cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
A cold front is moving in today and this was the perfect dish to watch it rain! I did have to ad-lib the lemon juice and apple a bit, but it was easy enough to figure out. Will make again!
Yes!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Riley! Thank you! xTieghan
Hello! Making this now – what do I do with the apple and lemon juice? I don’t see instructions here! It smells amazing in my kitchen right now!
Hey Megan,
So sorry for the confusion, the apple can be added with the orzo and the lemon with the cider! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi – can you tell me when to add the lemon juice? I see the peel, but missed when to add the juice. Made this with a few alterations (more wine, less apple juice) and it was good! Will do it again.
Deb
love to hear that!! Thank you so much Deb! xTieghan