Asian-Style Chicken and Rice

The weather has been chilly and wet and when the weather is like that I want hearty stick-to-your rib type food. I came across this recipe for Asian-Style Chicken and Rice from a free food magazine sampler and it seemed to fit the bill.

Start by thinly slicing the green onions. Keep the white parts and dark green parts separated.

Next up mince the garlic and ginger. Try mincing the garlic first and then the ginger. Ginger will help take the garlic stink from your hands.

The fresh shiitake mushrooms are next. I found these beauties at Trader Joe's.

Remove the stems and thinly slice the caps. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven and cook chicken skin side down for about 7 minutes. Set aside. (My picture of this was grossly out of focus. Sorry. Still need to get my eyes checked one of these days!)

To the same pot add the scallion whites, ginger, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until aromatic, about 1 minute

 

Stir in the rice, broth, salt and pepper. Be careful pouring in the broth as the pot will be very hot and it might snap and bubble a bit! 

 

Once the broth is boiling add the chicken bake in, skin side up. Try not to immerse the chicken as you want crisp skin.

Bake with the lid on for 25 minutes or so or until the liquid is absorbed.

 

Remove the chicken from the pot and stir the green parts of the scallions and some cilantro into the rice. Serve warm.

The whole family loved the rice. It was flavorful, fluffy and quite good. The chicken on the other hand was a bit bland. I think it needs to be marinated first, maybe in a bit of rice wine, soy and ginger. I think I'll try doctoring it a bit next time.

Asian-Style Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
salt and pepper
4 scallions
2 T. ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz. shiitake mushroom caps
1 1/2 c. Aborio rice
3 2/3 c. chicken broth
1/8 c. cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with sat and pepper. Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is crisp and golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add scallion whites, ginger, garlic, and mushrooms to pot and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in rice, broth, 1/2 teaspoon sat, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and place chicken on top, skin side up. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and bake until chicken is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, 25 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and stir scallion greens and cilantro into rice. Serve warm.