Monday, September 26, 2016

Simple Chicken and Rice for Two

This simple yet flavorful dish is a comforting Sunday night supper.

Ingredients

4 chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on. I use thighs and legs.
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tbs chopped, fresh rosemary
2 tsps. chopped, fresh thyme
1/4 cup water
1/2 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
6-8 black olives, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tsp capers
1 cup rice
A generous 2 cups of chicken stock

Method

At least four hours before you wish to eat, toss the chicken pieces in olive oil, some salt and pepper, and the rosemary and thyme. Refrigerate.

One hour before you will begin cooking (or, at a minimum, 15 minutes), remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Getting the chill of the chicken improves the color and sear you will obtain in the next step, which is browning the bird. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add a bit of olive oil to a fry pan and, over medium high heat, brown the chicken for about 4 to 6 minutes a side. Remove the pan from heat and add the 1/4 of water - be very careful to watch out for hot steam that may suddenly arise. Allow the chicken to sit in the pan and proceed to the next step.

In a Dutch Oven, heat olive oil over medium. Add the onion and celery, then salt and pepper the vegetables. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the olives, garlic and capers and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the raw rice, being sure to coat the rice in the onion mixture. Add the chicken pieces including the accumulated juices from the fry pan. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven for about 40 minutes.

Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Enjoy!