Chicken and rice

Sometimes even I like to prepare a quick lunch or dinner that doesn't require much time or effort. Look no further because this recipe is both quick, easy, and delicious! I present to you chicken and rice!

Chicken and Rice with Broccoli

Recipe from seriouseats

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks

salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, medium dice (1 1/2 cups)

2 small broccoli heads, separated into florets (about 2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric or pinch of saffron 

1/4 tsp cayenne

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain white rice

3/4 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

lemon or lime wedges for serving

Directions

1.  Season the drumsticks evenly with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the chicken, skin-side down and sear until golden brown, about 6-7 minutes. Rotate the chicken and brown on the other side. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the chopped onions and broccoli florets. Reduce heat to medium and season the vegetables with salt. Add the spices including the cumin, turmeric (or saffron), and cayenne along with the garlic. Mix together and add the chicken broth to the pan. Add the rice and lay the chicken on top. Let the broth come to a boil.
3. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low, continuing to simmer the broth. Cook until the rice is cooked and the chicken is no longer pink, about 15-20 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before the rice is done, add the frozen peas. To serve, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and lemon or lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
per serving: 552 calories, 12.1g fat (3.3g saturated, 2.7g polyunsaturated, 4.5g monounsaturated) 71.6g carbohydrates, 5.9g fiber, 37.4g protein

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

This recipe is great because it's easily adaptable. You can choose to use chicken thighs instead or even chicken breast for the protein and change or add to the vegetables. 

To get a great sear on the chicken, you have to make sure you pan is hot. It always helps to have your item be dry; pat down the chicken with paper towels before seasoning with salt and pepper than add to the pan.

Don't disturb the chicken while they are browning! You only want to flip them once after they've turned golden rather than continuously moving them around. If the chicken sticks to the pan when you're trying to flip it, that usually means it's not ready to be moved.  

 

 

I made a little less than the full recipe but it still didn't all fit into a 10 inch skillet. 

Because I had to transfer my chicken and rice to another pan, the rice didn't exactly stay in the bottom and the chicken on top. This is actually more important than you may think. You need the rice to be on the bottom in, submerged in the broth, in order for it to cook properly. The chicken on top cooks more from the steam than from boiling in the liquid. If the rice and chicken is all mixed up, some of the grains won't be simmering in the liquid, leaving you with half cooked rice and half raw rice.

 

Fifteen minutes later and voila! The meal is complete! This is a one skillet dish combining all your nutrients into one: carbs, protein, and veggies. Well balanced and simple meal!