Best Greek Rice Recipes

MY MOM'S GREEK LEMON RICE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot over low heat. Pour in rice and stir to coat in butter. Let simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until toasted but not burnt, about 10 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and bay leaves into rice mixture. Bring to a rapid boil; continue to boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

GREEK RICE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

GREEK STYLE SPINACH AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet or wok.
• Add onion and garlic and cook on medium-high until onion is softened and transparent.
• Add spinach, lemon juice and rice; cook stirring frequently until spinach is limp and rice is throughly heated.
• Toss in basil.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with feta cheese.

ONE-POT GREEK LEMON CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Whisk garlic, olive oil, oregano, onion, lemon zest, salt, and pepper together in a bowl to form a loose paste for the marinade, adding more oil if necessary. Pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, massage to coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Add olive oil to a large cast iron or heavy oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and wipe the skillet lightly with a paper towel to remove any blackened bits, reserving some cooking grease in the pan.
• Reduce heat to medium and add onions to the skillet. Cook until softened and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in rice, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth, raise temperature to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Transfer skillet to the preheated oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, place reserved chicken on top of the rice mixture, cover, and return to the oven; bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, place lemon slices atop chicken and rice, and bake until all liquid has been absorbed, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, another 10 to 15 minutes.

RIZOGALO (GREEK RICE PUDDING)

Steps:

• Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered very slowly, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed and rice is soft, about 30 minutes.
• Pour 2 cups milk and sugar into the saucepan and increase heat to high.
• Meanwhile, stir together 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a bowl.
• Once rice-milk mixture is boiling, add cornstarch mixture and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Remove from heat.
• Ladle rice pudding into individual serving dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.

GREEK LEMON-RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat broth to boiling in medium saucepan; stir in rice and garlic.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Mix lemon juice and egg; slowly stir mixture into soup.
• Stir in parsley; season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• Pour soup into bowls.

GREEK CHICKEN & RICE SOUP WITH EGG & LEMON (AVGOLEMONO) RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• If you have homemade chicken broth such as our Classic Chicken Broth, we recommend using it in this recipe, as it gives the soup the best flavor and body. Our preferred commercial chicken broth is Swanson Chicken Stock. Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of zest from the lemons. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Toss with 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Cut 8-inch square of triple-thickness cheesecloth. Place lemon zest, dill sprigs, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and garlic in center of cheesecloth and tie into bundle with kitchen twine. Bring broth, rice, and spice bundle to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add chicken, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate and discard spice bundle. Using two forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Using ladle, transfer 1 cup cooked rice to blender (leave any liquid in pot). Add lemon juice and eggs and yolks to blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot. Return soup to simmer over high heat. Remove pot from heat and stir in egg mixture until fully incorporated. Stir in chopped dill and season with salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice to taste. Serve.

GREEK CHICKEN & RICE

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes. Stir in artichokes, roasted peppers, tomatoes and olives. Cook and stir until heated through, 3-5 minutes., Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions. Serve with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

GREEK-STYLE RICE WITH SPINACH, FETA, AND BLACK OLIVES

Steps:

• Wash the spinach and tender stems until the water runs clean; drain. If leaves are large and crinkly, sprinkle lightly with salt and mix well. Let stand in a colander 15 minutes; rinse and squeeze out excess moisture. Shred the spinach to make about 3 cups.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-inch straight-sided skillet. Add the scallions, onions, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup water and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. When the water evaporates, slowly let the onions turn golden, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup water, the reduced tomato purée, and rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Spread the spinach and dill over the rice, cover, and cook 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, mix, then place a double thickness of paper toweling over the rice, cover again, and let stand until cool. Adjust the seasoning with black pepper and salt and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Serve at room temperature garnished with black olives and feta cheese or yogurt.

GREEK RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes; remove from heat and allow to cool, fluffing occasionally with a fork.
• Toss the avocado and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, olives, mint, olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper to the bowl; lightly toss the mixture until evenly combined. Fold the cooled rice gently into the mixture. Serve immediately or chill up to 1 hour; the salad does not last well for more than a day as the tomato and cucumber begin to release their juices and the salad becomes watery.

GREEK-STYLE LEMONY RICE AND ORZO PILAF WITH FETA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat; add in onion, garlic and thyme, stir for about 3 minutes.
• Add in the rice and orzo; cook stirring for 3 minutes.
• Add in the broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Add in black pepper, reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for about 20-22 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.
• Transfer to a serving dish then sprinkle the feta on top (if using).
• Delicious!

GREEK RICE PUDDING (RIZOGALO)

Steps:

• Place milk, sugar and lemon peel (just the peel - none of the pith) in a heavy saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Reduce heat to low and add the rice.
• Cover the pan and cook until the rice/milk mixture has gone thick and creamy (about 30-35 minutes).
• Turn off heat. Remove lemon peel and discard.
• Whisk together egg yolks with corn flour.
• Quickly whisk egg yolks into the rice mixture, stirring well. (If you want to, at this point you can also add a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract). Keep stirring to make sure yolks are incorporated and won't curdle.
• Spoon pudding into four serving dishes and cool. Top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

GREEK RICE AND SHRIMP BAKE WITH FETA CRUMB TOPPING

Steps:

• Place stock and bay leaf in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add rice; return to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is just tender.
• Add lemon juice, butter and 1/2 the oregano.
• Stir well and remove from heat, let cool to room temperature.
• Remove bay leaf.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Cook onion, garlic, hot-pepper flakes and the rest of the oregano , stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened.
• Add tomatoes and red pepper; cook for 3 minutes until softened.
• Stir in rice and spread in a greased 10-cup shallow casserole dish. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bury shrimp in rice.
• Combine bread crumbs, feta and parsley in a bowl; spread over rice.
• Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes until shrimp are pink and topping is light golden.

PORK SOUVLAKI WITH GREEK SALAD & RICE

Steps:

• Mix the garlic with 2 tsp of the oil, the lemon zest and 1 tsp juice, lots of black pepper, and ½ tsp oregano in a large bowl. Tip in the pork and mix so the meat is well coated. Set aside to marinate for 30 mins if you have time.
• Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chopped onion, cover and cook for 5 mins, then remove the lid and stir in the rice, dried mint and bouillon. Pour in 300ml boiling water. Cover and cook for 30-35 mins until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir in the dill and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Meanwhile, heat the grill to high or light your barbecue. Thread the pork onto two skewers. Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and olives in a bowl with the remaining oregano, vinegar, remaining oil and a squeeze of lemon. Pile onto plates and top with the feta.
• Grill the souvlaki for about 4 mins each side until they are cooked, but still juicy. Serve with the salad and rice.

GREEK SPINACH RICE (SPANAKORIZO)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir until every grain is coated in oil and you hear it start to sizzle. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, cayenne, and green onions and cook for about 1 minute.
• Add dill, mint, spinach, and 2 3/4 cups water. Mix until thoroughly combined and bring to a simmer.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. If rice is not quite ready at 25 minutes, add a splash of water, cover, and continue to cook until it is ready.
• Uncover and stir well. Cover again and let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
• Divide rice mixture evenly into six bowls. Squeeze ½ lemon over each serving, then top with feta cheese, pickled onions, chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

GREEK-STYLE CHICKEN LEMON RICE SOUP AKA AVGOLEMONO

Steps:

• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and then lower to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is just cooked through and the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl. Once cooled, shred the chicken and reserve.
• Add the rice to the pot with the chicken stock and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
• Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a large bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks and most of the lemon juice in a medium bowl, reserving some juice to add later as needed. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Once combined, ladle in some hot stock to temper the egg mixture, stirring constantly and adding the hot liquid slowly. Add the lemon zest and shredded chicken with any reserved juices to the soup and, very slowly, add the warm whipped egg/lemon mixture. Whisk to incorporate the egg mixture and prevent any curds or clumps from forming. Continue to cook over medium-low to medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more.
• Season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and add the remaining lemon juice if necessary. Add most of the parsley. Garnish individual bowls with the remaining parsley.

KITTENCAL'S GREEK LEMONY RICE WITH FETA

Steps:

• In a saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add in onion, oregano, chopped garlic and black pepper; cook stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.
• Add in the rice and stir using a wooden spoon for 3 minutes.
• Slowly add in the broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat cover and simmer until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
• Remove from heat and stir in the feta cheese (and kalamata olives if using).
• Season with salt and more black pepper if desired.
• Transfer to plate and drizzle the top with more lemon juice if desired.

GREEK EGG LEMON CHICKEN RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Boil the chicken until done, 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and debone. Hold chicken meat on the side.
• Add the rice to the chicken stock and cook at a boil for ten to fifteen minutes, or until done.
• Meanwhile, beat two eggs in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Measure one cup of hot stock. Add slowly to the bowl containing the eggs and lemon and continue to beat until combined.
• Add egg mixture into stockpot. Add chicken meat, stir well and serve. Makes 6 servings.

GREEK RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium size skillet over medium high heat. Add the rice and onion and sauté until both are translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the water with 1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer until the rice is just done, 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and the nutmeg, if using. Sprinkle with the parsley, if desired. Fluff with a fork and serve.
• NOTES: Not caring much for the flavor of plain water, a Greek cook who does not have stock on hand will usually flavor the water with tomato paste: about 1 tablespoon tomato paste to 1 cup water. This can be used for bulgur pilaf as well.
• As with bulgur pilaf, the quantity can easily be doubled, tripled, or more: Use 1 1/4 times as much liquid as rice. Be sure to increase the amount of olive oil and onion as you increase the rice and liquid.
• Adventures In Greek Cooking.

GREEK BROWN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine cucumber, chickpeas, rice, feta, tomatoes, onion, and olives in a bowl.
• Whisk parsley, lemon juice, garlic, basil, and olive oil together in a bowl. Stir dressing into the rice mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Let the salad rest for 1 hour before serving to allow rice to absorb the flavors.