Each member of my family likes their food slightly different - hubby requests no green stuff, kids like green stuff...on the side and nothing too spicy, and I like the green stuff - mainly the green stuff. So, when I cook, I tend to make food that is sort of a blank canvas - meaning I prepare meals that generally appeal to everyone and then each "individual" can add their own special touch. (I also like to cook so that we have leftovers for lunch the next day.)
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| I have a new appreciation for food bloggers with pretty food photos! |
On Sunday it was chilly and the family was craving some warm yummy (but healthy) comfort food for dinner. I am not even sure what to call this dish - but it must have a name...right? It is a chicken and rice dish and it makes everyone happy…maybe I should call it Smiley Chicken?
This dish is pretty easy to prepare. I generally have the foundation of the meal on hand – broth, herbs, sea salt, black pepper, short grain brown rice, and stewed tomatoes - they are mainstays in my pantry. We did however need the star of the show – the chicken - and some fresh veggies to go with it.
Jules and I headed to Save Mart to pick up what we needed. I shop at Save Mart regularly because I like the store and it is conveniently located...and now they have the Fuel Rewards Program and I LOVE it! I have been using it since they began offering it. For every $50 I spend (on qualifying purchases), I earn 5 cents a gallon at the fuel pump…not bad! And, since I shop at Save Mart all the time, that adds up quick! The Fuel Rewards program has saved me a lot of money…my favorite was the first time I used it and saved 50 cents a gallon on gas – oh yeah that is impressive!
AND…guess what I just learned…I hopped on over to their web site and discovered I can also earn Fuel Rewards points by shopping at over 700 online shops that are part of the Fuel Rewards Network – many of the stores I shop at already. You can read all about my shopping trip over in my google+ story about Save Mart and the Fuel Rewards Program!
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Now let's get to the Smiley Chicken!
This is a versatile dish that you can change up with different herbs and spices to your liking. If I had it my way, there would be spinach incorporated into this dish...
but I lost that argument!
(There is no reason for the "smiley" part -
other than it makes my kids and hubby smile when I make it)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (or more if you'd like) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use breasts or drumsticks too)
- 2 cups (uncooked) short grain brown rice (you can use long grain or sub for white rice, just adjust your cooking time)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium, organic)
- 1 cup white wine OR 1 additional cup Chicken broth
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 can stewed tomatoes (mine happen to be Mexican-style)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1-2 Tablespoon Olde Thompson Chicken Grilling Seasoning
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- OPTIONAL: (not used in these photos due to protest) Spinach
Cook It!
- Start your rice - add 4 cups of water, a sprinkle of salt, and 2 cups of rice to a large sauce pan and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
- You want the rice to be slightly under done as you will be adding it to the chicken pan soon.
- Chop red onion.
- Chop garlic.
- Wash and pat dry your chicken thighs.
- Season with sea salt, pepper and Olde Thompson Chicken Grilling Seasoning (feel free to add a different seasoning...but my family loves this one!).
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add chopped red onion and cook for another minute.
- Add chicken and brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side.
- Add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup white wine (or 2 cups of chicken broth).
- Add one can stewed tomatoes.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat
- If your rice has cooked for 30 minutes, add in the rice and let simmer and absorb liquid with the chicken. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat about 15 minutes. Check for done-ness of rice and chicken, if necessary cook a little longer (continue to test in small increments of time). You may add some additional broth to scoot the rice along, if necessary.
OPTIONAL: after about 10 minutes, I would add some spinach! YUM!
Also, you can make it different every time- think about adding peas, eggplant, spinach, even some turkey sausage!
I served this meal with steamed broccoli with a touch of fresh lemon juice and sea salt and I also made up a broccoli salad (the kids LOVE this!)
So, that is it, Smiley Chicken -
a simple meal that you change up!
- This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. This is an original recipe and all opinions are my own. #cbias
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