Meals centered around rice are some of my favorites to cook, mainly because rice is so versatile...it goes with anything! However, long grain and wild rice really tends to stand out from the crowd. Out of my many rice variation recipes, this simple chicken and rice dish has got to be one of my favorites. Make it spicy, or packed with herbs and spices...either way you'll come out with a hearty, flavorful pot of home-cooked goodness!
I always keep some chicken breast and rice in the house because it comes in so handy when I look in the cupboard and think "I really need to go grocery shopping!". Throw in a few spices, and of course your handy dandy chicken bouillon, and you've got yourself a dinner fit for a queen!
I have played around with this recipe quite a bit, and while there's really no wrong way to prepare chicken and rice, I'm going to share the best combination I've found. Keep in mind, you can switch up any spices you like in the marinating process, these are just my personal favorites and I feel they blend well with the wild rice. Ready to get started? Keep scrolling for the full recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 25 min
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
2 boxes long grain & wild rice
1 14oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup sweet peas
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor
(Marinade)
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
approximately 10 shakes black pepper
Begin by putting your thawed chicken breast into a plastic zip-loc bag and pounding it out with a mallet (or whatever you have that has a bit of weight to it and a flat surface) until it's all one even thickness. This will help the chicken cook evenly and soak up the spices you'll be adding (plus it's pretty fun to whack the chicken).
Next, open up the bag(s) and add your seasoning. 1 tsp Creole seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, approx. 10 shakes black pepper. Season to taste. Squish the seasoning around it the bag, mixing with the juices from the chicken, until both pieces are completely covered. Set in fridge to marinate for 20-30 minutes. You may let it set anger if you wish, but I find that 30 minutes does the trick.
In a medium to large pot, combine 1 can chicken broth, 1 1/3 cup water, 2 tbsp butter, 3/4 cup chopped onion, rice seasoning packets, and rice and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to low/medium and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Start the chicken frying about 10 minutes after you've started the rice.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, lay in the chicken breast. If the oil is ready the chicken will sizzle when it touches the pan. Cook the first side for 6-8 minutes and flip. There should be the beginnings of a golden brown glaze on the cooked side. Cook the next side for another 6-8 minutes and then check. If you have a meat thermometer, stick it in the middle of the chicken, if it reads 165 degrees then your chicken is fully cooked. If you do not have a thermometer, allow a few extra minutes on each side, checking often to make sure it doesn't burn, then split open the middle. If the meat is bright white all the way through, then it will be fully cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, covered, on a plate for about five minutes before cutting. While the chicken sits, you can add a few tbsp of water or chicken broth to the pan you cooked in, swish it around to collect the extra juices and black bits, then pour that over the chicken to make it extra juicy flavorful. It makes a world of difference!
As the rice should be finishing up right about now, go ahead and add in 1/2 cup sweet peas, 1/4 cup diced celery and 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon. Allow about 5 minutes for them to soften and blend together.
Cut the chicken breast into strips, and serve over rice...or mix it all together! Caution: contents will be delicious!
There you have it, the easiest way to the most irresistible chicken and rice around!
I hope you've enjoyed making and devouring this Seasoned Fried Chicken & Wild Rice recipe as much as I have! Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest for more quick and easy recipes to die for added daily, and like the Broke and Hungry Again Facebook page for updates on new recipes! Thanks for stopping by and bon-apètit!
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