Chef’s Corner: One Skillet Chicken and Rice
Contributed by Peter Johnson, Director of Culinary
Recipe: One Skillet Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- ½ cup Frozen Peas
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 ¼ cup Water
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce
- 3 cloves Minced Garlic
- ¼ cup Red Pepper, diced
- ¼ cup Spanish Onion, diced
- 1 Jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
- ¼ cup Cilantro, minced
- 2 tsp. Sazon Seasoning
- 1 tbsp. Adobo Seasoning
- 1 Lemon, for taste
Directions
- Add Chicken, 1 tbsp. olive oil and Adobo to bowl and mix well. Allow to marinate for at least a half hour and up to 2 hours.
- Add the remaining olive oil to a skillet and turn heat to medium. Once oil is hot, add in the chicken a few pieces at a time. Cook until chicken has a nice golden-brown sear on both sides. Remove from pan and transfer to plate.
- In the same skillet, add your garlic, peppers, onions, jalapenos and cilantro, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Sazon to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato sauce, water and stir well, making sure to scrape up all the bits of flavor from bottom of pan.
- Bring to a simmer and add in rice, stir to combine.
- Add browned chicken to the top. Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Add green peas and stir into rice. Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
About Chef Peter
Over the past 25 years, I have had the pleasure to work in all facets of the restaurant and hospitality industry. After Graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2000, I followed my dream of being a restaurant chef in Manhattan. Upon graduation from culinary school, I worked in as many high-end restaurants and hotels as I could, learning the craft and honing my skills. I eventually found the niche for recipe development, and Food Manufacturing where I have been fortunate enough to head up the R&D department at Whitsons for the better part of the last decade.