Chicken and rice

Chicken Rice Bowl

This is the lemon chicken rice from the ingredient list, cooked as one skillet. The rice takes its liquid from the same pan the chicken browned in. Lemon at the end keeps it from tasting only like boiled rice.

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 20 minutesServes: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound boneless chicken, 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
• 1 cup frozen peas, or a handful of spinach
• Half a lemon

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet that has a lid, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.
2. Cook the onion in the same skillet with a pinch of salt, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for half a minute.
3. Add the rice and stir until the grains look glossy. Pour in the water and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a simmer.
4. Return the chicken and any juices. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook 15 minutes without stirring.
5. If the rice is still firm, cover 3 more minutes. If the pan is dry and the top is hard, add 2 tablespoons of water and cover again.
6. Turn off the heat. Scatter the peas on top and cover 2 minutes. Squeeze the lemon over the skillet. Taste for salt.

Substitutions

• Chicken: a drained can of chickpeas, added with the rice. Skip the browning.
• Lemon: 1 teaspoon mild vinegar.
• Peas: leftover cooked carrots or frozen mixed vegetables.
• White rice: brown rice needs more water and closer to 40 minutes covered.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a covered pan with a spoon of water. Throw out rice that sat out for hours.

Related: Tomato chicken skillet, Egg fried rice.