Nthabi Seemela kicks off our Foodie of the Month Series with a delicious one-pot chicken and rice dish. Just like the rest of the recipes on the recipe developer and caterer’s social media pages, this one is hearty and oh-so good! Nthabi enjoys making this dish because it’s so convenient and her family family loves it.
Nthabi Seemela's one-pot chicken and rice dish
Ingredients
- Chicken drumsticks 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon rosemary & garlic
- 1 teaspoon braai & grilled seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrots, peeled ad diced, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mixed peppers
- 1 cup parboiled white long grain rice
- ½ teaspoon mixed herbs
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock liquid
- ⅓ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup mushroom
Instructions
To a small mixing bowl, add Cajun mixed herbs, rosemary & garlic, braai & grill , salt and black pepper and mix to combine. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and set aside.
Add the chicken thighs to a bigger bowl and add the seasoning reserving about a teaspoon for later. Mix until the chicken is well coated.
Heat up olive oil on medium high heat, carefully add the chicken, skin side down and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Remove the chicken and place on a plate and set aside
Sauté the chopped onions, garlic and other vegetables in the hot oil until soft and translucent, add the butter, and stir until melted. stir in the rinsed rice and toast for about a minute or two making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Pour the chicken stock over the rice, add the reserved seasoning, and stir to combine. Deglaze the bottom of the pan while stirring by scraping the bottom of the pan. This way the rice doesn’t burn when cooking.
Taste and adjust seasoning to taste at this point
Arrange the chicken thighs over the rice then cover the pot with its lid and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of rice you are using. When the rice is done, it would be tender, fluffy and the water would be absorbed too.
Keep an eye out for our Winter Issue that will be hitting shelves next month for more on Nthabi and her food journey.
Also see: Smoked chicken
