This simple hen and rice recipe is an outstanding one-pot dinner to your busiest days. Completely seasoned rice is loaded with succulent hen items, numerous veggies, and deliciously melty Monterey Jack cheese.
For a fast and attractive dinner with out a lot fuss or mess, do that one-skillet hen and rice recipe. It’s easy and environment friendly, excellent for busy evenings. The dish options rice, veggies, and tender items of hen, all blended with a beneficiant spoonful of bitter cream. Seasoned with thyme and garlic for added taste, it’s completed with a sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese, which melts by way of the dish for a deliciously creamy outcome.
Why You’ll Love This Hen and Rice Recipe
- Consolation Meals. There’s simply one thing a couple of heat, tacky hen and rice dish that’s positive to fill your stomach and heat your coronary heart. It’s excellent for these chilly winter days.
- One-skillet marvel. I like that this complete dish is ready in a single skillet. It makes cleanup SO simple! Plus, you don’t even have to make a facet dish in case you don’t wish to – it’s a full meal by itself.
- Fast and simple. In only a few easy steps and 40 minutes from begin to end, you’ll have this satisfying meal in your desk.
- Customizable. It’s simple to tweak this recipe right here and there to suit your style preferences. Swap out the meat, attempt totally different veggies, or think about a special cheese, and so on.
Recipe Substances
- Olive oil
- Hen Breasts – You would use boneless hen thighs or tenders or attempt cubing up some steak or pork. Floor beef, hen, or turkey would all be nice choices.
- Yellow onions – White onions would additionally work, as would shallots.
- Bell pepper – I used a inexperienced bell pepper however you should utilize any colour you’d like. Additionally, be at liberty so as to add different veggies right here too. Zucchini, mushrooms, and/or broccoli could be tasty additions.
- Thyme – Be happy so as to add totally different herbs, like recent or dried oregano, sage, or Italian seasoning.
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic cloves – Or use garlic powder.
- Water – You would additionally use hen broth.
- Raw on the spot rice – You need to use both brown or white on the spot rice. I’ve made this recipe with each utilizing the identical prepare dinner time. Whereas the brown rice added extra taste, it did end up a tad bit mushier.
- Mild bitter cream – When you’d like to make use of yogurt as a substitute, you possibly can.
- Tomato – I used an entire diced tomato, however you could possibly use halved cherry tomatoes as a substitute.
- Candy paprika – You’re greater than welcome to make use of smoked paprika, cayenne, or one other favourite in order for you somewhat additional warmth.
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese – The cheese is elective, however I like the additional layer of savory decadence it brings to the desk. When you don’t have or like Monterey Jack, attempt shredded cheddar or crumbled feta as a substitute.
- Inexperienced onions and parsley – for garnish. These are elective, however they add a pleasant pop of colour and a freshness issue that I actually get pleasure from.
The right way to Make Hen and Rice
Tie in your apron and get cooking! Dinner can be on the desk in simply 40 minutes. Right here’s a fast have a look at the best way to make this one pot marvel. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card beneath for extra detailed directions.
- Brown the hen. In a big skillet, warmth olive oil over medium-high warmth. Add the hen and brown on all sides.
- Saute the veggies. Add the onions and bell peppers, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, and saute till the veggies are tender.
- Put all of it collectively. Stir within the garlic, water, rice, and bitter cream. Deliver the combination to a boil after which stir within the tomatoes and paprika.
- Cook dinner. Decrease the warmth to a simmer, cowl the skillet, and prepare dinner for 7 minutes.
- Ending touches. Take away the skillet from the warmth, stir within the cheese, and garnish with inexperienced onions and parsley. Give the ultimate product a style and season with extra salt and pepper if wanted.
- Make it crusty (elective). Pop the skillet below the broiler for a minute or 2.
Recipe Suggestions And Variations
- Even items. Make sure to reduce your hen into even-sized items. It will assist be sure that every part cooks on the identical time.
- Don’t crowd the pan. When browning the hen, make sure to not overcrowd the pan. The hen will steam as a substitute of sear, ending you with robust, rubbery meat.
- Use the best pan. I discovered a 12-inch skillet to be excellent for this recipe. Something smaller or bigger and also you’ll wish to scale the recipe down or up accordingly to make sure correct cooking. I recommend a nonstick skillet to make sure that the rice doesn’t keep on with the underside.
- Attempt totally different veggies. Be happy so as to add your favourite veggies to the pan. Saute some sliced mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli (or actually some other veggie of your selecting) together with the onions and bell peppers.
- Totally different protein. I like the hen on this recipe however you could possibly simply use cubed pork or beef as a substitute. You would even brown up some floor beef – or floor hen or turkey or pork – and use that as a substitute.
- Play with cheese. I used Monterey Jack this time however you could possibly use totally different cheeses right here. Attempt feta, goat cheese, cheddar, or pepper Jack. You would even attempt a mix of a number of. The cheese is elective, so you possibly can depart it out altogether in case you’d like.
Serving Solutions
I like serving this hearty, tacky principal with a facet of cooked greens or a vivid, gentle salad. I’ve actually been having fun with this Tacky Grilled Asparagus in Foil Packs and my Parmesan Garlic Roasted Carrots. When you’re in a salad temper, attempt my Inexperienced Goddess Salad or this Tomato Burrata Salad. A facet of Lavash Bread can also be a beautiful selection!
The right way to Retailer & Reheat Leftovers
- To retailer. Permit the hen and rice to chill to room temperature earlier than sealing it in an hermetic container and storing it within the fridge for as much as 4 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
- To reheat. Thaw the leftovers within the freezer (if relevant) earlier than spreading them right into a baking dish, masking, and baking at 350°F for 20 minutes or till heated by way of. You too can microwave smaller parts in 30-second intervals, stirring between every, till heat.
Straightforward Hen Recipes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless hen breasts cubed
- 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 3 sprigs recent thyme leaves, or 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
- salt and recent floor black pepper, to style
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ cups low sodium hen broth, or water
- 1½ cups raw on the spot rice, you could possibly use white rice or brown rice
- ½ cup gentle bitter cream, you too can use plain yogurt
- 1 massive tomato, diced
- ½ teaspoon candy paprika
- 1 cup diminished fats shredded monterey jack cheese
- 2 inexperienced onions, sliced
- chopped recent parsley, for garnish
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Warmth olive oil in a big 12-inch forged iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth.
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Add cubed hen items to the heated oil and prepare dinner till browned on all sides, about 3 minutes.
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Add onions and peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and recent thyme leaves. Proceed to prepare dinner, stirring often, till greens are tender, about 5 to six minutes.
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Stir within the garlic and prepare dinner for 20 seconds. Add water, rice, and bitter cream; stir till effectively blended and convey the combination to a boil.
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Add tomatoes and season with paprika.
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Decrease warmth to a simmer, cowl the pan, and proceed to prepare dinner for about 7 minutes, or till rice is tender.
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Take away from warmth; sprinkle the shredded cheese excessive, cowl, and let stand for 3 to five minutes or till the cheese is melted.
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Style the dish for salt and pepper and regulate accordingly.
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Optionally, for a browned, crusty high, you possibly can pop the skillet below the broiler for a few minutes earlier than serving.
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Garnish with inexperienced onions and parsley, and serve.
- Lower the hen into even-sized items for even cooking.
- Keep away from overcrowding the pan when browning the hen to forestall it from turning into rubbery and dry.
- Use a bigger nonstick skillet for this recipe.
- Experiment with numerous veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli.
- Substitute the hen with pork, beef, or floor meats.
- Attempt totally different cheeses like feta, goat, cheddar, or pepper Jack, or omit cheese altogether.
- Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container and hold them within the fridge for as much as 4 days or within the freezer for two to three months.
Energy: 322 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 24 g | Fats: 13 g | Saturated Fats: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fats: 6 g | Trans Fats: 0.01 g | Ldl cholesterol: 70 mg | Sodium: 242 mg | Potassium: 539 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 997 IU | Vitamin C: 25 mg | Calcium: 149 mg | Iron: 2 mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in response to the components and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
