Rice bowl
Quick Chicken and Rice Skillet
Chicken, rice, and onion in one skillet. The rice cooks in the same liquid the chicken sat in, so you are not minding a second pot. Lemon at the end keeps it from tasting only like boiled rice.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 25 minutesServes: 4Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in bite-size pieces
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 3/4 cups water, or chicken broth if you have it
- 1 cup frozen peas, or a small handful of spinach
- Half a lemon, or 1 teaspoon mild vinegar
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a skillet that has a lid, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook it until it is browned in spots and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- In the same skillet, cook the onion with a pinch of salt until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for half a minute.
- Add the rice and stir so the grains look glossy. Pour in the water. Add a pinch of salt if the water is plain. Bring it to a simmer.
- Return the chicken and any juices on the plate. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook 15 minutes. Do not stir.
- Peek. If the rice is still firm, cover and give it 3 more minutes. If the bottom is dry and the top is still hard, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water and cover again.
- Turn off the heat. Scatter the peas on top, cover 2 minutes so they warm through. Squeeze the lemon over the skillet. Taste and add salt if you need it. Serve from the pan.
Substitutions
- Chicken: a can of drained chickpeas, added when the rice goes in. Skip the browning step.
- Peas: frozen mixed vegetables, or leftover cooked carrots.
- Lemon: a small splash of mild vinegar.
- Long-grain rice: another white rice. Brown rice needs more water and more time, closer to 40 minutes covered.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a spoon of water, covered, until hot. Rice that has been left out for hours should be thrown out rather than saved.