This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver tzatziki chicken is a flavorful, one-pan dish that’s perfect for a quick dinner. With creamy tzatziki, tender chicken, and fragrant rice, it’s a simple yet tasty meal. You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit what you have on hand, making it a versatile option for any night of the week.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 x 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) whole free-range chicken
- 2 x 200g (7 oz) tubs of tzatziki
- 2 lemons
- 4 mixed-colour onions
- 300g (2 cups) basmati rice
- Sea salt and black pepper
- ½ tablespoon (7.5ml) olive oil
- 600ml (2 ½ cups) boiling salted water
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
How To Make Tzatziki Chicken
- Prepare the Chicken: Use a sharp knife to cut down the back of the chicken and open it flat. Rub half the tzatziki all over the chicken with the juice of ½ a lemon, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), or gas mark 4.
- Prepare Onions: Peel and finely chop half an onion. Place in a bowl with the juice of ½ a lemon and a pinch of salt to make a pickle. Quarter the remaining onions and place in a deep tray or ovenproof pan. Halve and add the remaining lemon.
- Roast Chicken: Place the marinated chicken skin side up on top of the onions, drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, and roast for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden and the leg meat pulls away easily.
- Prepare Rice: Once the chicken is done, remove it with half the roasted onions and one jammy lemon half to a board. Squeeze the other lemon half into the pan juices, discard the white pith, and finely slice the skin. Add the lemon slices, remaining onions, rice, and 600ml of boiling salted water to the pan. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 12 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Serve: Spoon the rice into a serving dish. Place the chicken, reserved roasted onions, and juices on top, then spoon over the remaining tzatziki. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and serve with the pickle and cooked lemon for squeezing over.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken overnight: For the best flavor, marinate the chicken in tzatziki for at least 2 hours, but overnight is ideal. This will make the chicken more tender and flavorful.
- Don’t skip the pickle: The onion pickle adds a tangy contrast to the rich chicken, so be sure to make it and let it sit while you cook.
- Check the chicken temperature: Make sure the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the leg for perfect doneness.
- Cover the rice while cooking: Keep the rice covered with a lid while it cooks to trap steam and ensure it’s fluffy and tender.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover tzatziki chicken cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, allow the chicken and rice to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the chicken and rice in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil to prevent drying out, and heat for 20-25 minutes or until hot throughout.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (of 4 total servings)
- Calories: 764
- Total Fat: 52g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 284mg
- Sodium: 525mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 22g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 55g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Wing Gravy
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Soup
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Korma Recipe
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Liver Pate Recipe
Jamie Oliver Tzatziki Chicken
Description
This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver tzatziki chicken is a flavorful, one-pan dish that’s perfect for a quick dinner. With creamy tzatziki, tender chicken, and fragrant rice, it’s a simple yet tasty meal. You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit what you have on hand, making it a versatile option for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Use a sharp knife to cut down the back of the chicken and open it flat. Rub half the tzatziki all over the chicken with the juice of ½ a lemon, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), or gas mark 4.
- Prepare Onions: Peel and finely chop half an onion. Place in a bowl with the juice of ½ a lemon and a pinch of salt to make a pickle. Quarter the remaining onions and place in a deep tray or ovenproof pan. Halve and add the remaining lemon.
- Roast Chicken: Place the marinated chicken skin side up on top of the onions, drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, and roast for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden and the leg meat pulls away easily.
- Prepare Rice: Once the chicken is done, remove it with half the roasted onions and one jammy lemon half to a board. Squeeze the other lemon half into the pan juices, discard the white pith, and finely slice the skin. Add the lemon slices, remaining onions, rice, and 600ml of boiling salted water to the pan. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 12 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Serve: Spoon the rice into a serving dish. Place the chicken, reserved roasted onions, and juices on top, then spoon over the remaining tzatziki. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and serve with the pickle and cooked lemon for squeezing over.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken overnight: For the best flavor, marinate the chicken in tzatziki for at least 2 hours, but overnight is ideal. This will make the chicken more tender and flavorful.
- Don’t skip the pickle: The onion pickle adds a tangy contrast to the rich chicken, so be sure to make it and let it sit while you cook.
- Check the chicken temperature: Make sure the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the leg for perfect doneness.
- Cover the rice while cooking: Keep the rice covered with a lid while it cooks to trap steam and ensure it’s fluffy and tender.
Jamie Oliver Tzatziki Chicken