Easypeasy Essentials Scrummy Chicken Rice Recipes

SIDE ESSENTIALS: EASY/PEASY SEASONED RICE

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Remember when you are melting the butter, and blooming the spices, keep the temp to medium low. We do wish to burn them, or it will impart a bitter taste to the rice. And, the same is true when you are cooking the rice in the butter... keep it low.
• 3. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 4. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium-low heat, and after it melts, add the turmeric and cumin.
• 5. Stir together until combined and keep stirring for another 60 seconds.
• 6. Add the rice and stir with the other ingredients until the rice begins to slightly brown, about 3 - 4 minutes. While stirring, toss in a bit of salt and pepper.
• 7. Remember, no burning; just an ever-so-slight browning.
• 8. Add the hot stock, raise the heat to get to a simmer. Then cover and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat, keep covered, and let it sit for an additional 10 - 12 minutes. That will give the rice a chance to absorb any remaining chicken stock.
• 9. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and do a final tasting for proper seasoning (I like to add a bit more salt and pepper).
• 10. PLATE/PRESENT
• 11. Serve as a side dish or eat a steaming bowl, all by itself. Enjoy.

EASY CHICKEN WITH RICE

Steps:

• Set 3 cups of water to boil. Place olive oil in a large skillet that can be covered, and turn heat to medium-high. Add onions and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and become translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skin from chicken.
• Add rice to onions; stir until each grain glistens; sprinkle with saffron, and stir. Nestle chicken in rice, add a little more salt and pepper and pour in the boiling water. Turn heat to medium-low, and cover.
• Cook 20 minutes, until all water is absorbed and chicken is cooked through. (You can keep this warm over a very low flame for another 15 minutes; it will retain its heat for 15 minutes beyond that.) Garnish and serve with lemon or lime.

EASY/PEASY ESSENTIALS: BROWN BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• Prepare your rice the way you enjoy it. For this recipe I usually stir some butter into the rice, then let it simmer in chicken stock for about 20 minutes.
• The rice takes about 20 minutes to make, and the chicken takes about the same amount of time. So, if you put the rice on, and then start the chicken, they will both finish at the same time. Brilliant.
• I kept the flavors of this dish simple; however, you could add additional spices (paprika, cayenne, etc.), or how about adding a bit of tamari sauce to the cooking liquid to give it more of an Asian slant. Up to you.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Either pound the chicken breast to an even thickness or cut it in half lengthwise. I chose the cutting method, using a very sharp knife.
• Sprinkle the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper on both sides.
• Add the oil, butter, and lemon juice to a skillet over medium heat. Heat until the butter has melted, stops foaming, and begins to brown, about 3 - 4 minutes.
• Give the pan a swirl to mix the ingredients, then add the chicken.
• Cook on one side until the chicken easily releases from the pan, about 3 - 4 minutes. Then flip and cook an additional 2 - 3 minutes.
• When it is cool enough, dice.
• Return the pan to medium heat, add the diced chicken, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir it to reheat and give it a chance to soak up those yummy pan juices.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Add half a cup of the rice to a bowl, and top with half the chicken. Have some tamari and rice wine vinegar at the table for guests to use. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.