Thoroughly rinse the rice until the water runs clear (even if the rice says “pre-washed”). In a medium stockpot combine the rice, chicken stock, and half of the lemon juice.
Close the pot with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low so the rice is simmering and cook until the water is all gone, about 10 minutes. Set heat to low to keep warm until ready to serve.
Before serving, add the lemon zest, the rest of the lemon juice, butter, and a dash of salt. Mix well, then serve.
Preparation - Spicy Feta Chicken
Trim any excess fat and gently pound the chicken breast(s) to an even thickness. Season all over with salt and pepper.
Warm a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat in a pan that has a lid. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden. Add the ⅔ cup chicken stock to the pan and close with the lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for another ~10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Combine the spicy feta sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and add more cayenne to make it as spicy as you’d like (if you are very sensitive to spice, start with ⅛ teaspoon rather than ¼ teaspoon cayenne or omit completely).
When the chicken is ready, allow it to rest for a few minutes then shred it (I use two forks to shred chicken breast). Toss the chicken in the sauce until its fully coated, you may not want to use all the sauce so add a little at a time.
Optionally, top with red pepper flakes and/or fresh thyme when serving.
Notes
If you already have shredded chicken on hand, you can easily substitute that in! Just make sure you warm it up before tossing it in the sauce.The pairing of the lemon rice is generally inspired by Greek lemon rice, however this is my take on lemon rice and not an authentic recipe.