Name: Lemon Rice
Yield: 6

This Lemon Rice Recipe is a flavorful, hands-off side that everyone will love! Everything goes straight into the pan, even the uncooked rice, and it bakes up evenly every time.

Author’s Notes

The Magic Of Oven-Baked Rice

Baking rice in the oven is my absolute favorite way to make it. And while I totally get the skepticism, I promise it really does work. Uncooked rice, chicken stock, and a handful of herbs go straight into a dish and bake into the fluffiest, most satisfying rice.

I’ve shared a few versions over the years: my standard baked white rice, this mega-popular herb rice, and a family-favorite curry rice.

And this baked lemon rice is my new favorite! It is so flavorful and the rice turns out evenly tender every time. I can’t get enough of it. It really is a game-changer for side dishes. It’s so flavorful that I often just grill a simple protein like steak or chicken to go with it.

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for straightforward assembly including the rice, seasonings, lemon, garlic, butter, parsley, and chicken stock.

Ingredients In This Lemon Rice Recipe

Ingredient Group	Helpful Tip
Basmati rice	This is the only rice that bakes up fluffy and tender with this specific recipe. Other varieties can get mushy or cook unevenly.
Garlic plus dried herbs & seasonings	These build the base flavor. Feel free to check the seasoning and adjust the seasoning at the end.
Chicken stock	Use a full-flavor stock (like Swanson) for the best results. Low-sodium stock can make the rice taste flat.
Butter	Adds richness and helps the rice bake evenly. Dot it over the top so it melts into every bite.
Lemon and parsley	Add these after baking for a really fresh, bright flavor. Mix in gently so the rice stays fluffy. Using a microplane (like this one), zest only the very outside yellow part of the lemon.

How To Make This Lemon Rice Recipe

Prep the pan: Heat oven and generously spray a glass or ceramic 9×13 dish.
Combine: Add rice, garlic, seasonings, and stock; stir to mix and spread evenly.
Add butter: Dot the top with butter pieces.
Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake, then uncover and bake again.
Rest: Cover again and let the rice sit to finish steaming.
Finish: Fluff gently, add lemon and parsley, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Quick Tip

This is a reliable baking dish ever and I highly recommend it for baking rice.

What To Serve With This:

Pair with protein: Hot rotisserie or grilled chicken is a reliable. Fish, shrimp, or thinly sliced flank steak also work great.
Add a creamy sauce: Tzatziki is reliable here, but any creamy, complementary sauce works.
Serve with warm pita: Use it to scoop the rice, chicken, and sauce.