After our church hosted a Lebanese festival with a sister church, I came home inspired to bring some of those warm, aromatic flavors into my own kitchen.
This One-Pot Lebanese-Spiced Chicken & Vermicelli Rice is my take on an easy chicken and rice dinner inspired by that experience. Boneless chicken thighs are seasoned with Lebanese seven spice and cinnamon, browned until golden, then nestled into basmati rice with buttery toasted vermicelli.
The vermicelli gets toasted until deep golden brown before the rice goes in, adding a nutty flavor that works so well with the warm spices. Everything finishes cooking together in one pot, giving the rice plenty of time to soak up all that flavor.
To finish, I add toasted pine nuts for crunch, fresh parsley and plenty of lemon. A cool lemon-garlic yogurt sauce served alongside brings a bright, tangy contrast to the warmly spiced chicken and rice.
It may have been inspired out, but this is one I’ll definitely be making in again.
Why you’ll love it
- Everything comes together in one pot.
- Lebanese seven spice and cinnamon give the chicken and rice a warm, aromatic flavor.
- Toasting the vermicelli in butter adds extra flavor and texture.
- Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy as the rice cooks.
- Toasted pine nuts add a little crunch to the finished dish.
- The lemon-garlic yogurt sauce adds a cool, bright contrast to the warm spices.
One-Pot Lebanese-Spiced Chicken & Vermicelli Rice
Ingredients
Lebanese-Spiced Chicken
- 5 to 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Lebanese seven spice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vermicelli Rice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup broken vermicelli
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1½ cups basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon Lebanese seven spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large garlic clove finely grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon added to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Serving
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- Fresh parsley chopped
- Fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
Season and Brown the Chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season with the kosher salt, Lebanese seven spice, black pepper and cinnamon.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and brown for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until nicely golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point.
Make the Vermicelli Rice
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pot.
- Add the broken vermicelli and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Add the onion and cook until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the basmati rice, Lebanese seven spice, cinnamon and kosher salt. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring to coat the rice in the butter and spices.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the rice.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover.
- Cook for 17 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
- Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Make the Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- While the chicken and rice cook, combine the Greek yogurt, grated garlic and lemon zest.
- Stir in the lemon juice to taste.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Finish and Serve
- Remove the chicken briefly if needed and gently fluff the rice and vermicelli with a fork.
- Return the chicken to the rice and top with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley.
- Serve with fresh lemon wedges and the lemon-garlic yogurt sauce on the side.
Notes
- Watch the vermicelli. You want it deeply golden and toasted, but once it begins to brown, it can go quickly.
- Rinse the basmati rice. Rinse it under cool water until the water is mostly clear, then drain well before adding it to the pot.
- Let the rice rest. The covered 10-minute rest gives the rice time to finish steaming and makes it easier to fluff.
- Add the lemon juice to taste. Lemons vary in size and acidity, so start with part of the juice and add more until the yogurt sauce tastes bright and tangy.
- Toast the pine nuts. That extra step brings out their flavor and gives the finished dish a little crunch.
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