After reading Ximena’s post about a comforting one-bowl chicken and rice dish, I wanted something similar. But instead of picking a meal with an eastern flare, I headed south…errr, well, actually, to September’s issue of Bon Appétit and found this recipe. I had to make concessions and additions based on what I had on hand, but it was the perfect dish to make for a rainy day.
I love one dish meals because it means that I’m probably using my old thrifted Le Cruset orange dutch oven. Somehow, whatever comes out of that pot turns out wonderfully. And when the weather turns grey and dark and it rains more than there is sunshine, well, that’s when the orange beast and I really bond. While I may turn my eye and covet something brand new in, say, turquoise, this beast hasn’t failed me yet.
This dish is spicy and sweet and truly comforting. It’s also versatile. You could easily whip up a vegetarian version by substituting the chicken for chick peas and adding a few more vegetables near the end. I added a spoonful of mango chutney to serve with this dish, but it’s not necessary. Just steam up some broccoli or serve this along side a green salad and you’ve got yourself dinner. Or, just tuck right in and you’ll find comfort in a bowl.
spicy chicken and rice
2 T olive oil
4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed
salt & pepper
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t ground chipotle pepper
1 large orange pepper, diced
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3 c raisins
1 1/2 c jasmine rice
2 c chicken broth
mango chutney (optional)1. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt, pepper, cayenne, chipotle, cinnamon and cloves. Heat oil in a large dutch oven and add chicken, browning each side for 5 minutes.
2. Remove chicken and add in onion, orange pepper and garlic and saute until soft. Add in raisins and rice and stir until rice glistens. Add broth and then return chicken to the pot, nestling each piece into the broth and rice mixture.
3. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve with mango chutney and steamed vegetables.
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you always come to the rescue! I invited my sister and niece to stay for dinner tommorow, but realised I had nothing to make for dinner…and I needed something quick and delicious….I check your blog…and there it is. Tommorow’s dinner is chicken and rice! Thanks again!
It´s the perfect dinner, isn´t, it chicken and rice? I´ll be trying this version, but in the rice cooker, because I´m still hooked, even if it´s not as pretty as a le creuset.
Yum! One pot dinners are fab and this looks delicious. I’ve just got into chipotle and this sounds like it’ll be made here soon.
Give me anything with rice and I feel happy already! Delicious dish, Kickpleat!
Nicely put J: “that’s when the orange beast and I really bond”…poetry!
I do not have any Le Cruset kitchenware at all…way too pricey for my budget but I am a firm believer that it must cook meals splendidly and look stylish to boot.
I’m on a meat-free kick lately (long story)anyway,…I’ve been dipping into the canned legumes a lot and so I can definitely make this dish with chickpeas instead…but the chicken and rice looks so scrumptious…darn!
I love easy, one dish meals. I spend all my energy on baking treats and then get stumped at dinner time. This looks like a wonderful dish to have in the repertoire.
hag, let me know how it goes! i’m glad i could provide some dinner inspiration 🙂
lobstersquad, thanks for the idea! i’ll have to try a rice cooker one of these days…if only i had the counterspace!
le laquet, this is a perfect 1 dish dinner! chipotle is great too 🙂
patricia, happy it is then!
joanne, i’m lucky to have found 3 le cruset peices at value village! thrifting is awesome. let me know if you try this with chickpeas…i bet it will be fabulous!
beth, i have a le cruset grill pan and it works wonders! i’ve never seen the turquoise pot in person…it glows, eh? wow, that i must see! yes, you could definitely add craisins instead of raisins! totally. let me know how it goes. and i love those kind of “see what you can do with the dregs” experiments!!
lynn, this is easy and i’ll definitely be making this again. perfect comfort food.
I made your Broccoli and Chick pea recipe last night and I think it’s my new favourite pasta dish. It has three of my favourite things, broccoli, chick peas, and lemon. Yum Yum!
jen, that was in my go-thrifting-everyday phase…now, i don’t have as much time to go. sigh!
kristin, glad you liked that pasta dish! it’s one of my favorites for a quick meal. yum!
I have a Le Creuset grill pan, and I never use it because it’s the kind with non-stick enamel instead of cast iron – basically impossible to use properly. To get grill marks I have to burn oil onto the pan (which you’re not really supposed to do) an then stick dry, pre-cooked food on top of it. I have only ever gotten it to work properly with mushrooms. It makes a mean portabello.
I too covet the turqouise Le Creuset though. It’s sooooo pretty. Have you seen it in person? It glows. More expensive than the Martha version though… *sigh*
I may actually make this chicken tonight.
Chicken and rice are two thingsof the last things I still have kicking around.
Think I can substitute Crasins for rasins? That’s what I have left, so I think I’m gonna try it.
Cooking with the last dregs of my pantry before the move should be depressing, but it’s actually been kind of an exciting experiment.
This looks oh so very yummy- and yes, le cruset is wonderful. I have one very nice le crusset piece, it’s always the one I go to. Mine is white…but since you can never have too many of these–turquoise sounds like my next color!
I cannot believe you thrifted one, nevermind three, le creusets. Clearly I don’t go thrift shopping often enough. I mostly find junk. You are a lucky Canadian.
I covet the Le Cruset dutch oven, but I haven’t been able to justify the nearly $200.00 price tag 🙁
I’m going to try this next week. I love nothing better than a one pot dish!
katia, i’ve been coveting the white ones too, but the turquoise ones have been causing serious lust!
rachel m, this is definitely a great 1 pot dish to try.
yes, lydia, a regular pot will do! my secret? dedication! i’ve lost that dedication now because i have no more time…sigh.
beth, glad you loved it! i’m sure with the olives it would have been extra awesome. i also have a le cruset kettle (that was a wedding gift) and i too love it to death!
This looks like something I have frequently coveted when I read about, but have never made. Now I will. I don’t have a Dutch oven though! Will a regular pot do?
You’ve seriously thrifted THREE Le Creuset pots? Please tell me your thrift store secrets! I rarely go anymore, but maybe I should.
I tried it! It was delicious! I will totally be making it again, and I might post a (slightly modified) version on my blog at some point, cause I changed things up a bit (I kept the sambal oelek from the original recipe, as well as the olives, and I used some different spices – cause that was what I had).
I forgot to add that I have a bright red Le Creuset kettle that I LOVE. It is truly one of my most prized possesions. I think I might grab it after the cats and my iBook in a fire.
I've cooked this now a few times and it's delicious. I substituted Jamaican Jerk for the chipotle as I couldn't find any. My boyfriend does most of the cooking but this one is MY dish! Thanks for the recipe!
This was a great recipe! I didn’t have mango chutney, but did have cranberry sauce. The swap was actually really good! It was the perfect fall lunch, thanks!