Chicken & Rice

 

I have made and eaten a number of different versions of Chicken and Rice.  Some I’ve loved and some I’ve never made again. 

After trying so many different versions of this dish, I finally came up with a version of my own that I fell in love with and that my family enjoys as well.   It’s a perfect dish to throw together when you are pressed for time, and is versatile enough that you can add anything else to it you may like.  I’ve made it in both the oven as a casserole and in a slow cooker.  Both turn out a great result.

CHICKEN & RICE:

• 3 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cubed.
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 tsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Uncooked White Rice (not instant)
• 2 – 14.5 oz. Cans Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 – 7 oz. Can Chopped Green Chilis
• 3 Tbsp. Goya Sofrito (tomato based cooking sauce found in the ethnic food section)
• 2 packets Goya Sazon (I use the one in the orange & yellow box)
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 Small Yellow Onion, chopped
• 2 – 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cut up chicken and place in a large bowl.  Add all dry ingredients, including 1 packet of the Goya Sazon to the chicken and stir well.  Transfer to a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for a couple of hours, or overnight.

When ready to assemble, remove chicken from the refrigerator.  In a large sauté pan, add the butter and allow to melt.  Add the chicken to the pan and allow to brown for a few minutes, stirring often so chicken does not burn.  Once done, remove chicken to a clean and large mixing bowl. 

Add olive oil to the sauté pan along with the onion and garlic.  Saute just until translucent. 

Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, chilis, chicken broth, lime juice, cilantro, rice and the second packet of Goya Sazon to the bowl.  Stir together well.

If you are planning to cook this in the oven, add the mixture to a 13″ x 9″ greased baking dish.  I just spray the baking dish with some butter flavored non-stick cooking spray. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, or until rice is tender.

If you prefer to make this in the slow cooker, follow the above instructions and add this to your slow cooker, set on low.  Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the rice is tender.

Serve up and enjoy!

I shared this recipe in the Saturday Swap over at Kim’s blog, Quit Eating Out

  

Shrimp & Feta Over Pasta (Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet)

• 

I saw this dish in a recent issue of Taste of Home magazine and knew I had to make it.  Feta, shrimp, lemon and pasta?  Yup, I can fall in love with that combination.

Being Catholic, and it being Lent, I look for new and different meatless recipes to serve for the next few weeks.  This one was on the top of my list.  Of course, after I made it and was cleaning up I realized this recipe calls for chicken broth, and, yes, chicken broth would be considered a meat when cooking that should not be used on a meatless day during Lent.  I’m sure God forgave me for that minor mistake.  I hope. 

I only made one change to this recipe, and that change came about because I couldn’t get one major ingredient.  Fresh basil.  I see it all the time in any of our grocery stores, even during the winter, but for whatever reason, fresh basil decided to evacuate itself from all produce sections in my area last week.  I did, however, have  two bunches of fresh cilantro in my fridge.  In fact, I always have fresh cilantro in a mason jar in my fridge because I can’t live without the stuff. 

I was hesitant at first to make the switch from the basil to the cilantro, but after reviewing the ingredients again I realized cilantro would work just as well, if not better.  I do plan on making this again using basil, but if you find yourself in a pinch like me, I highly recommend the substitution of cilantro if need be.  That was the only thing I changed about this recipe. 

Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet

From Taste of Home Magazine February/March 2011 issue

• 8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta (I used spaghetti)
• 1 1/2 lbs. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil (I used dried cilantro)
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink.  Add the garlic, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer.  Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 1 cup broth, lemon juice and dried basil.  In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth; stir into the pan.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in spinach and shrimp; cook until spinach is wilted.

Drain pasta; serve with shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Chicken & Cilantro Cakes

A few months ago I visited one of my favorite food blogger sites: Kathy at Polwig.

She had just updated her cooking section with a dish she called Chicken Cakes with Herbs and I knew right away I wanted to give them a try.  I did and exactly as her post described they were not only simple, easy and delicious, but my family too requested I make them again several times that week. 

Kathy’s recipe calls for two herbs: chives and basil.  By the time I made them the second time for my family I was out of these herbs and my garden was long done, so no fresh basil to pick from.  I did have a large bunch of fresh cilantro sitting in my fridge so I used that in place of the chives and basil.  It gave it a completely different twist, and when I decided to make these into slider style cakes and top them with some fresh Pico de Gallo, it became pure heaven.

I will tell you this, these are delicious anyway you choose to make them.  Simple and tender, you can use Kathy’s version with chives and basil, add the fresh cilantro like I’ve tried, or add whatever fresh herb you want as the dominant flavor in this dish.  Fresh rosemary might be good, too. 

I’ve made these with both ground chicken and ground turkey and both were equally delicious.  Unlike other burgers or bites made with lean ground turkey or chicken these are not dry in the least.  I lend that to the addition of the grated mozzarella cheese. 

My next venture with these is to vary the cheese and see what else I can come up with.  No matter how you make them, I bet your family will be begging you to make them over and over again.  Simple and delicious.  Perfect.  These are great as a main meal or even made smaller for an appetizer with a dipping sauce.  Maybe some honey mustard, ranch or chipotle sauce.  Yum.

If you haven’t checked out Kathy’s blog you really should.  She shares her family, home and her kitchen with you.  If you want something different and unique for dinner or lunch, check out what she has to offer.  Her recipes are varied and not the ordinary everyday dish.  I bet you will enjoy her blog as much as I do.

To see how to make these tasty bites, visit her blog for the recipe Chicken Cakes with Herbs.  I followed her recipe exactly, switching out the chives and the basil for a bunch of fresh cilantro.  Other than that, they were exactly the same.  Give them a try and see what you can come up with.  The possibilities are endless!

Thanks, Kathy for a great recipe.  My family loves them!