So at last, I'm going to give you an easy one! This is the meal I prepare almost every Thursday evening, since that's the day I take off my chef hat and suck it up and put on my housekeeper hat, in hopes of making our home feel slightly clean and refreshing for Keith for at least the first few hours he begins his weekend off from work.The great thing about this recipe is that it's a quick, tasty, almost no fail dish (at least I haven't found a way to mess it up yet) AND- BONUS- both the kids will eat it up as well (excepting, as always, the roasted veggies)!
(Added Note on 8/12 ): First, never mind the no-fail part- I did find a way to mess it up. I cooked the baked chicken without the rice as part of what was supposed to be an impressive meal for my in-laws. BAD idea- the chicken came out of the oven in a disgusting heap of grease (I suppose that's what you're eating when the rice on the bottom soaks it up, but at least you can't see the greasiness and only appreciate the tastiness of the rice). And, without the rice, it was overcooked and chewy. SO don't blame me if you try this recipe without the rice and it turns out disappointing. And Second, I totally guessed on the seasoning measurements since I usually just eyeball it. I was WAY off, and if you tried this recipe before today and followed the measurements, you probably had one heck of an overseasoned meal. SORRY!
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INGREDIENTS:
RICE
- 1/2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 small shallot, peeled and diced***or use 1 TBSP dried minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced**or use 1/2 TBSP pre-minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper (Optional- lemon pepper does have a small bit of sugar)
- 1 1/2 cups rice
- 2 cups water
- Approx. 2 pounds your choice chicken (I fill half my pan with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and half with wings, but we're a dark meat / anti-leg family- you could easily do this with chicken breasts, legs, whatever you like- and I just freeze whatever doesn't fit on my pan for next time)
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. oregano (could also sub with or add thyme, basil, or Italian seasoning)
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. black ground pepper
- 1/3 cup brown rice crumbs (OPTIONAL)
- 1/2 TBSP ground flax seed (OPTIONAL but quite healthy and thus a bit of a shame to exclude)
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less depending on preference for spiciness)
- 3-4 TBSP olive oil (okay so that's a bit much, but...for me...olive oil is the new butter since I try hard to keep butter completely out of the mix)
I most often use Roasted Veggies since I have that down to a science, or perhaps my Green Bean/Black Bean Duo for a side (click on names to get recipes)
DIRECTIONS:
SUMMARY: Cook the rice - Season and bake the chicken (with the rice) - Prep and cook the veggie sides
STEP ONE- THE RICE (TO BE COOKED AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE CHICKEN):
I, as always, use the rice cooker and thus, turn the cooker on, add the olive oil and cook 1 minute. Add the shallot and garlic, season with lemon pepper, stir, and cook 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the water and stir. Close lid and wait until complete.
If cooking rice the traditional way, I'd speculate that you'd heat the olive oil in a pan on the stove. Add the shallots, garlic, and seasoning and saute until the shallots have softened (about 3-4 minutes). Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the water and stir. Cook over medium high heat just until the water has absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
STEP TWO- THE CHICKEN:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch Pyrex or similar-type glass dish with cooking spray. Add the rice and spread evenly. Place chicken on top (again- use preferred cuts of chicken, but I do half chicken thighs, half wings).
I then sprinkle seasonings on top, one by one, (and I'm totally guessing on the 1 tsp. each thing- I just lightly sprinkle each one across) OR you could pre-mix the seasonings in a small bowl, stir and sprinkle evenly over the chicken.
Sprinkle the brown rice crumbs evenly across, if using. Drizzle 2 TBSP of olive oil across, and add a bit more if needed (meaning add more until you've moistened the brown rice crumbs).
Brush the seasoning around with a What-I-Call Cooking Brush?? (see below pic).
Place in middle rack of oven and cook for 1 hour. (I never use chicken breasts, but if they're pretty thick, I'm guessing you might want to add 5 - 10 minutes to that cook time. NOTE: I said I'm GUESSING- if you love chicken breasts so much, you be the judge on how long to cook 'em!)
STEP THREE- THE SIDES:
Prepare sides when you have 15 free minutes during the cooking process. And, if using Roasted Veggies, I usually ignore the normal cooking temp and time for them and just throw them on the top rack about 15 minutes before the chicken's finished cooking so they're all finished up at the same time.
So there you have it. It's as simple as I get folks. And for those working the 8-5 day- You COULD prep everything the night before or morning of, and just throw it in the oven when you get home...
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