Cozy Comfy Chicken and Rice
This has always been my personal comfort dish, a meal I made from leftovers after roasting a chicken on the weekend. One day a friend was in the kitchen when I was making it, and she started asking innocuous questions: “Say, how much of the shallot are you using?” “Was that a half cup of olives?” I was so busy cooking that I didn’t really pay attention to what she was doing with the answers. She figured out the recipe and started making it for friends, who loved it and wanted the recipe too. I guess I wasn’t meant to hold onto this one. That’s okay. It’s really, really good, and I hope you get as much pleasure out of it as I do.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. (If it’s been frozen give it a spritz of lemon juice.) Pour the broth into a small heatproof bowl, add the saffron, and let it infuse the broth. Using the same saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sauté until just golden, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until mixed well, about 1 minute to slightly toast the rice.
Step 2
Stir in the broth and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and give the rice a quick stir. Bring the rice to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the chicken, olives, pimiento, and lemon juice. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 12 minutes.
Step 4
Fluff with a fork, then serve garnished with the parsley.
variation
Step 5
For those who would rather avoid chicken, try this as a rice dish using Magic Mineral Broth … it’s delicious!
Step 6
Not everyone is into pimientos and olives. I’ve been assured by a close friend that this dish is delicious without them.
rebecca’s notes
Step 7
Sautéing the rice with the onion and shallot gives this dish a little more depth of flavor.
Step 8
As a time-saver, you can purchase an already roasted organic chicken from the store for this dish.
Step 9
My favorite type of olives for this dish is an Italian variety called Cerignola. They’re more buttery and mellow than many varieties. If you can’t find them, kalamata olives are also wonderful here. Just make sure you give them a good rinse before adding them to the dish.
storage
Step 10
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
nutrition information
Step 11
(per serving)
Step 12
Calories: 225
Step 13
Total Fat: 6.2g (1.2g saturated, 3.7g monounsaturated)
Step 14
Carbohydrates: 26g
Step 15
Protein: 16g
Step 16
Fiber: 2g
Step 17
Sodium: 320mg
