One Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Quinoa

One pan lemon rosemary chicken thighs and quinoa make the perfect weeknight meal! Not only is it simple and tasty, but you only have one pan to wash!

When it comes to quick weeknight meals, nothing beats a one pan meal. One pan meal = only one pan to wash! That’s what I like to hear. I hate washing dishes, by the way. Luckily Kyle is a pro at washing pots and pans, and the dishwasher takes care of everything else!

I should say he was a pro. Since he broke his leg I have to do everything. Which means washing pots and pans, which I really despise. I’ve said for years if I didn’t have a dishwasher I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t cook. Washing pots and pans is bad enough, if I had to wash every single dish I used I’d never get out of the kitchen!

Anyway, back to the recipe. I’ve become a huge fan of chicken thighs recently – they are just so juicy and SO much more flavorful than the breast. I still love a good chicken breast, but lately it’s all about the thighs!

I love the simplicity of one pan meals, and this one is also pretty fancy. To start, make the herb rub for the chicken. I use a mixture of rosemary, parsley, lemon zest, and a little cayenne pepper for kick. However, you can really use any combination of herbs that you like. Thyme, oregano, basil, etc. would all be great!

Rub the herb mixture on the chicken – don’t be afraid to really massage it in. This is where the flavor comes from, so you want to make sure every piece is coated. At this point, you want to refrigerate the chicken to allow the flavors to really soak in – 30 minutes is all you need. If you want to do this step in the morning before work, that’s fine too – you can marinate it for up to 12 hours. 

When you’re ready to get dinner going, just brown the chicken in a shallow oven-safe pan. If you don’t have one, just brown the chicken and then transfer it to a baking dish (that will be an extra thing to wash, though!).

Once the chicken is nicely browned add in some chicken broth, fresh broccoli, and the reserved lemon halves. Allow the chicken to roast after it has reached juicy perfection! Take it out of the oven, remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. Then, just toss in more chicken broth and the quinoa – 15/20 minutes later and you’re ready to eat!

Make sure you squeeze the roasted lemons over the top of each serving – it makes the dish. Roasting lemons brings out the sweetness and intensifies the wonderful lemon flavor – don’t skip out on it!

I should note that the recipe is written for 4 servings – one chicken thigh per person. However, if you have big eaters you may want to double the chicken and herb mixture. The leftovers are also great, so maybe you want to double for that!

I’d also like to mention that if you aren’t into chicken thighs you can make this with boneless, skinless breast – it won’t be quite the same, but it will still be good!

I highly suggest trying this recipe – it’s quick, delicious, and a healthy meal! Oh yeah, and there’s only one pot to wash. ?

One Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Quinoa

2016-10-10 12:44:00

Serves 4

Herb-rubbed chicken thighs are roasted to juicy perfection and served over quinoa in this one pan wonder. This meal is a great weeknight option, but would be an impressive choice to serve to company.

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

1 hr 15 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Total Time

1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

1. 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary, leaves removed from the stems
2. Handful of Fresh Parsley
3. 2 Lemons, zested and then cut in half and set aside
4. Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
5. ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
6. 4 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin on, trimmed of extra fat if necessary
7. 2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
8. 1 ¾ Cups Chicken Broth
9. 1 Small Head Broccoli, cut into florets
10. 1 Cup Quinoa
11. 1 Garlic Clove, minced
12. ½ Cup Frozen Peas

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a mini food processor, combine the rosemary, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Process until the herbs are finely chopped. Rub the chicken thighs on both sides with herb mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 450º.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a shallow pan over high heat. Brown the chicken skin side down until it’s nicely golden, about 5 minutes. (The chicken will pull away easily from the pan when it’s ready to flip) Turn the chicken pieces over and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour off the excess fat.
4. Add ½ cup chicken broth to the pan, the chicken thighs, the reserved lemon halves, and the broccoli florets.
5. Bake the chicken at 450º for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165º when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Place the chicken pieces on a plate and cover with foil. Remove the lemons and broccoli to a plate and set aside.
6. Add the remainder of the chicken broth, quinoa, and garlic to the pan. Cover the pan and return it to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed just about all of the liquid.
7. Once the liquid has mostly absorbed, remove the pan from the oven and add in the frozen peas to the pan, reserved broccoli and chicken thighs. Place back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Squeeze the roasted lemons over top and serve.

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