Chicken and rice
The dish that warms the heart and fills the belly.
As shocking as this may sound, my parents don’t always cook Italian food. I know, let’s all get that gasp out now. They make some pretty awesome “regular” foods such as hamburgers and my mom’s favorite, French Fries. If fries are on the table, it will be the main food on her dish, every time, extra crispy.
One dish my mom makes that is so freaking amazing, I asked her to make it twice during my recent visit home, is her chicken and rice dish. It is so simple and just hits right on a cooler, Fall day. What is even better about this dish is that it makes for the perfect leftovers!
This dish is a spin off of my parents other delicious, non-traditional Italian dish of potatoes and chicken - will be added to the blog soon! To be honest, I’m not really sure how my mom started making this dish. Most likely, it was a random idea she had just like most of her dishes are some random ideas that she tests, tweaks, and that turn out delicious. Then again, every thing my mom makes is delicious - but I might be bias!
I absolutely love making this dish because it requires using only 2 pans, is super easy to make, and it can be prepped early and thrown in the oven later.
Have people coming over and not sure what to make? This is a great crowd pleaser! It will not disappoint!
Chicken and Rice
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Cook Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Ingredients:
8 Chicken legs or thighs
4 Cloves garlic
*Optional 1 onion
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon pepper
1.5 Teaspoon bouillon cube loose mix or 1.5 bouillon cubes
2 Teaspoons dried basil
2 Teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 can of peeled tomatoes in water
2-3 Teaspoons olive oil
2 Cups rice
4 Cups water
1 Can cream of chicken
1 Can milk
Recipe:
Pre-heat oven to 450-degrees. Be sure rack is in the middle of oven.
Rinse and clean chicken legs or thighs, depending which you use. For thighs, be sure to cut off fat. For legs, be sure to peel off skin. Do not pat dry.
Place chicken in a 2-inch high baking pan. I use a 9” x 16” rectangular baking pan.
Drizzle olive oil over chicken then mix chicken together in the pan to coat the chicken.
Grate garlic over chicken. You can chop garlic as well, be sure it’s finely chopped.
Add salt, pepper, bouillon cube mix, dried basil and dried parsley over chicken. If using a bouillon cube, grate it over the chicken.
Add 1/2 can of peeled tomatoes, squeezing them between your hands to crush them further. Add in half the water from the can as well.
Mix it all together. If adding onions, add onions at this time.
Cover with aluminum foil. Place on middle rack for 45 minutes.
In the mean time, add rice and water in a medium pan and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, cooking the rice half-way through.
Once rice is half-way cooked, rinse twice under cold water and drain.
Add 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 can milk.
Mix together rice, cream of chicken soup, and milk together. Set to the side.
When chicken is cooked and has cooled, remove chicken from bones and break up into smaller pieces. Be sure to remove any cartilage as well.
Add rice mixture to pan with chicken and mix together.
Cover pan with aluminum foil.
Place in oven for 40 minutes at 450 degrees. After 30 minutes, remove aluminum foil to allow chicken and rice mixture. This allows the rice and chicken to crisp up.
Once cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Can be prepped early and stored in fridge for 1-2 days. Prep up through step 16.
Can use any type of milk! I used almond milk for ours since we didn’t have regular milk!
Can be reheated in microwave, in a pan on the stove, or back in the oven! I like to add a little water to bring some moisture back to it.
Be sure to clean the fat off the chicken thighs to prevent from fat pooling after baking the chicken and loosing the seasoning on the chicken. It takes a little time but it' is so worth it! The skin on the chicken legs is recommended to be taken off prior to cooking for the same reasoning as the thighs, to not loose the seasoning on the chicken.