Chicken And Rice
Bone-in skinless chicken thighs: I removed the skin off the chicken myself as we hardly eat chicken with skin on. Also, to make this recipe healthy, it is best to cook without the skin.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups uncooked basmati rice
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoon mixed herbs
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped any types of onion would work for this recipe.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup green onions to garnish sub with chives, parsley or coriander
Instructions
1.To a small mixing bowl, add smoked paprika, mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper and mix to combine. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and set aside.
2.Add the chicken thighs to a bigger bowl and add the seasoning reserving about a teaspoon for later. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
3.Heat up olive oil on medium high heat, carefully add the chicken, skin side down and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken and place on a plate and set aside. (You can blot the oil with kitchen towel if it looks too much at this point as the chicken releases its own oil too)
4.Sauté the chopped onions in the hot oil until soft and translucent, add the butter, and stir until melted. stir in the rinsed rice and toast for about a minute or two making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour the chicken stock over the rice, add the reserved seasoning, and stir to combine. Deglaze the bottom of the pan while stirring by scraping the bottom of the pan. This way the rice doesn’t burn when cooking.
5.Arrange the chicken thighs over the rice then cover the pot with its lid and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of rice you are using. When the rice is done, it would be tender, fluffy and the water would be absorbed too.
6.Garnish the rice with chopped green onions, cover and let it stand for another 3 minutes. fluff the rice with a fork, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime over the rice and chicken for a zesty flavour.