Chicken and Rice with Broccoli Recipe

By
Yasmin Fahr
Yasmin Fahr: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Yasmin Fahr
Yasmin Fahr is a food writer, recipe developer and author of the cookbook Keeping it Simple. She has a penchant for cheesy phrases, lemons, fresh herbs, feta and cumin.
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Updated Jun. 14, 2019
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Yasmin Fahr

Chicken and rice is a common combination that's seen in a variety of cuisines, each with its own twist. For this easy one-pot meal, feel free to customize it to your own tastes. Use other chicken parts such as thighs or a whole chicken broken down. For spices, you can leave out the cayenne and cumin and opt for a turmeric and oregano mix instead or even cinnamon to give this dish a touch of sweetness that's especially nice in the winter time.

The lemon is an essential ingredient, though, as it rounds out the dish (I also happen to love lemony chicken and rice). As for leftovers, since this column is generally made to serve four, I tend to have a fair amount of leftovers unless I can rope friends over for lunch or dinner.

For this dish, I found myself with leftover rice and no chicken, so I quickly fried the rice and topped it with an egg and a heavy dosing of sambal. Sriracha would also work wonderfully. Both are fantastic.

Recipe Facts

3.6

(5)

Active: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken legs or other chicken parts

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)

  • 2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 2 cups)

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated with a microplane (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric or pinch of saffron threads

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (plus more to taste if desired)

  • 3 cups homemade homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken broth

  • 1 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain white rice

  • 3/4 cup frozen peas

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • Lemon or lime wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. Season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Add chicken skin-side down and cook without moving until well browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

  2. Reduce heat to medium, and add the onions, broccoli and a pinch of salt, stirring until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and cook for until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the chicken stock to the pan and then add the rice and lay the chicken carefully on top.

  3. Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the rice and chicken are finished cooking, 15-20 minutes. Add the frozen peas during the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking.

  4. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon or lime wedges

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
664 Calories
31g Fat
53g Carbs
51g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 664
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 39%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 704mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 10g 37%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 51g
Vitamin C 151mg 756%
Calcium 146mg 11%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 1170mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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