This Giada-inspired one-pan chicken with artichokes is the perfect blend of Italian comfort and Mediterranean brightness. I swapped in Arborio rice to make it gluten-free, and it turned out absolutely amazing — creamy, lemony, savory, and full of bold flavors from sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and oregano. Everything cooks in one pan, making it a simple yet impressive weeknight dinner that feels straight out of Giada’s kitchen.
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Giada’s Flair for One-Pan Italian Comfort
This recipe comes from the way Giada celebrates layered Mediterranean flavors: bright lemon, briny olives, tender artichokes, and juicy chicken. In her Super Italian cookbook, she highlights one-pan meals that feel rustic and effortless — and this dish embodies that philosophy with every bite.
From the day Giada De Laurentiis started cooking professionally, her fundamental formula for making meals memorable has not changed: Good Cooking = Technique + Ingredients + Ambience. This same formula is the key to good health when you choose ingredients that promote wellness, cook them simply, and eat them joyfully. In her skillful hands, a pantry of Italian superfoods is the starting point to better health and longevity.
Mediterranean Roots with Modern Italian Style
Similar chicken-and-artichoke dishes appear in coastal Italian trattorias and Greek-inspired kitchens. Chefs like Massimo Bottura and Nancy Silverton often use these same flavor profiles — olive oil, lemon, sun-dried tomatoes — to create bright, rustic dishes. Giada’s version modernizes the classic by making it accessible for home cooks.
Perfect for Sharing & Entertaining
Serve this dish straight from the pan at a family-style dinner. Pair with:
- A crisp Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio
- A simple arugula salad with lemon
- Crusty gluten-free bread to soak up the sauce
It’s elegant enough for guests, but easy enough for a weeknight.
Give this Giada-inspired one-pan chicken a try and bring bright Mediterranean flavors into your weeknight routine — gluten-free, effortless, and unbelievably delicious!
Giada De Laurentiis One-Pan Chicken with Artichokes & Arborio Rice (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Large sauté pan oven safe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Shallot finely chopped
- 1 cup Arborio (Risotto) rice gluten-free swap
- 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes dried and chopped
- 1 jar Quartered artichoke hearts drained
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 1 tsp Oregano fresh
- 3 cups Chicken broth
- 1 Lemon squeezed
- 2 cups Baby kale
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Sear the chicken – Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt. Place chicken skin-side down and sear 6–8 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. This creates flavor for the entire dish.
- Sauté the shallots – Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Scrape up the brown bits — this is where the flavor lives!
- Toast the Arborio rice – Add Arborio rice and stir for 1 minute to lightly toast the grains. This prevents mushiness and enhances texture
- Build the flavor base – Add sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, olives, oregano, remaining ½ tsp salt, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Add the broth – Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Nestle the seared chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. The rice cooks under the chicken, absorbing all the juices
- Transfer to oven – Transfer to oven and back for 20–25 minutes, until Arborio rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Turn off the oven.
- Add the greens – Scatter the baby kale on top and stir gently into the rice. Bake in the oven for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
Notes
- Arborio rice gives this dish a risotto-like creaminess without the stirring.
- You can use baby spinach instead of kale.
- For extra brightness, add lemon zest before serving.
- This reheats beautifully and makes amazing leftovers.