This is how I know if a recipe has been received well by my kids lately: Aidan will proclaim loud and proud “there is not a single thing left on the plate!” while holding the plate in the air. And he did exactly that when I made this easy one pot chicken rice again last night. And he wasn’t the only one, I practically licked my plate not wanting to waste any of the deliciousness. I am a huge fan of risotto but during the week I just don’t have the time to stand stirring a pot of rice for 30 minutes. I need to get dinner going and then sort out the kids (or just have a G&T in peace…). This chicken and rice recipe with all those glorious tomato and basil flavors gives me the satisfaction of a glorious pot of risotto with a quarter of the effort. Plus, the leftovers are awesome the next day!
How to make tomato basil chicken rice
Because this is a one pot wonder, you need to start with a nice big, deep pan. I use my trusty buffet casserole but any large sauté pan will work well. Sauté cubed chicken thighs (you can use cubed chicken breast meat too) in a few tablespoons of olive oil until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add rice (I used long grain rice but any white rice will work) and the wine then allow the wine to reduce. Pour in the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and chicken stock or chicken broth and stir to combine. Place the browned chicken on top then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice and chicken are fully cooked. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Chicken and rice recipes
