Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with a paper towel. This is crucial for getting crispy skin. Season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or shallow casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 6-8 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.

Sauté the Aromatics: There should be a good amount of rendered chicken fat in the pan. If there's more than two tablespoons, pour a little off. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Toast the Rice: Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir it constantly for about 1-2 minutes. What works best for me is to make sure every grain is coated in the flavoured fat. This toasting step helps the rice absorb liquid more evenly and prevents it from becoming mushy.

Add Liquids: Pour in the juice of half the lemon to deglaze the pan, scraping up any tasty brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Pour in the hot chicken stock, add 1 teaspoon of salt and give everything a good stir.

Simmer Together: Bring the liquid to a lively simmer. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the rice, skin-side up. Make sure the liquid comes about halfway up the chicken pieces. Once it's simmering again, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let it cook for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time!

Rest and Finish: After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pan stand, still covered, for another 5-10 minutes. This allows the rice to steam and become perfectly fluffy.

Final Touches: Remove the lid. Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Add the cold butter, the remaining lemon juice (or to taste), the zest from the whole lemon, and the chopped fresh parsley. Stir gently to combine, allowing the butter to melt into the rice and form a light, glossy sauce. Serve immediately, placing a chicken thigh on a bed of the delicious lemon rice.