Chicken with Rice--Chris via Vanessa

(As given to Vanessa)

1 chicken, cut up
1 medium to large onion, chopped medium to fine
several cloves of garlic, to taste, minced
1 1/2 cups of rice
Sufficient wine & chicken broth to cook the rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
10 oz pkg frozen peas.
1 - 2 tsp dried oregano
1 - 2 tsps ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp paprika
(optional) a pinch of saffron threads instead of the turmeric
Salt & pepper to taste (commercial canned chicken broth isusually salted sufficiently)

There several ways to approach this. in a skillet add a separate amount of oil to cook the chicken, brown lightly, then add enough water/white wine, reduce the heat to simmer, and cover until cooked through. You can do this first and use the leftover liquid to cook the rice. Or you can just steam the chicken. You can use boneless breasts or whatever.

Add the oil to a saucepan with a cover. On medium heat, cook the onion until transparent and it starts to brown. Add the garlic for the last minute. The garlic will brown much quicker than the onion so wait to add it.

Add the rice, stirring until all the grains are coated and most have turned a milky color. Some may start to brown lightly.

Add the liquids & seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, turn to low for the necessary time. Turn off heat and let stand.

You can cook the peas separately and add them at the end or put them in to cook with the rice.

Likewise you can partially cook the chicken and let it finish cooking on top of the rice.

When it is all done I like to add chopped fresh parsley when I toss everything together.

Here are some of the other things you can serve with it, generally tossing at the end of cooking or serving separately:

chopped green/white parts of a few scallions
diced fresh tomatoes
cooked black beans or chick peas (sub for green peas)
diced uncooked green, red, orange sweet peppers
diced hot peppers
hot sauce
lime wedges
olives
diced avocado

I would sometimes get a 4 oz chorizo sausage (spanish, red from lots of paprika), dice it, and saute it in the oil with the onions. It then adds color as it cooks with the rice. You don't need to add the paprika in that case.

The only thing that absolutely RUINS it is A-1 Steak Sauce :)

Posted by vanessa