This isn’t your standard chicken with rice and vegetables. We up the ante every step of this recipe with little nuances that elevate this humble dinner to fancy meal.
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This type of dinner – rice and vegetables with a protein, particularly chicken – is a regular guest on our menu at home because of how easy it is to prepare and how endless the variations are.
This recipe is quite easy but the flavors are interesting and contrasting thanks to roasted fennel and onions, crispy-skinned chicken thighs, quickly broiled zucchini, and my favorite part: golden raisins cooked in the rice.
For this recipe, I simply fry up chicken thighs until the skin is crispy. In the same pan, I fry sliced fennel and onions and cook until they are beginning to char. Next, I nestle the chicken into the fennel and onions and roast until it’s cooked through.
Meanwhile, I prepare white rice but right as I’m about to cover it, I add 6 ounces of golden raisins and cook them with the rice. They will plump up as they cook for a sweet, salty rice to accompany succulent chicken and aromatic vegetables.
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Chicken with Rice and Vegetables
Equipment
- Wide, ovenproof skillet
- Small pot with lid
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil for frying
- 1 large fennel bulb halved, cored, and sliced into thin wedges, fronds reserved
- 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 zucchini trimmed and diced
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups water
- 6 ounces golden raisins
- Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil optional, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Pat the chicken dry and season all over and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 teaspoon neutral oil in a wide ovenproof skillet. Add the chicken – in batches if necessary–skin-side down. Cook without moving for 5 minutes or until the skin is very crispy and browned. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the Vegetables:
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter into the skillet and add the fennel and onion and cook for 6-8 minutes or until well-browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake the Chicken:
- Add the chicken, skin-side up, to the pan of vegetables. Transfer to the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer
Cook the Rice:
- As the chicken bakes, prepare the rice. Combine the rice with 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon butter, and salt. Bring to a boil and add the golden raisins. Stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered as you finish the rest of the recipe.
Finish the Vegetables:
- Remove the chicken from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Turn the heat on the skillet to medium-high. Add the diced zucchini to the pan along with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini is bright green and tender. Turn off the heat.
To Serve:
- Spoon the rice between plates and pile the cooked vegetables on top. Place a chicken thigh on each dish and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fennel fronds. Enjoy!
