Chicken with brown rice

June 18, 2009

When it’s freezing cold and the wind is whipping through the trees outside, it’s time to hunker down and enjoy some bowl food.

One-pan dishes that can be served in deep bowls, perhaps with a few greens on top are good for a fireside meal or an evening in front of TV watching a movie or your favourite sports team.

Brown rice got itself a bit of a bad name back in the 60s and yet it has a great nutty flavour and a much more interesting texture than polished rice and lends itself well to a dish like today’s one.

There are quick cook versions of brown rice so make sure you read the cooking instructions on the packet.

Chicken with brown rice

1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon oil
750g  boneless chicken thighs, halved and skin removed
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise then sliced
200g small brown button mushrooms
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine
salt and freshly milled pepper
2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
juice and zest of 1 lemon

Cook the brown rice according to the directions on the packet and drain.

Heat a pan then add the oil and brown the chicken pieces. Removed from the pan and set aside. In the same pan sauté the onion and celery for five minutes then add the cleaned sliced mushrooms and red pepper and cook a further two minutes. Pour in the stock, wine, thyme and bay leaves, adjust the seasoning and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer till the chicken is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the brown rice to the pan and heat through then stir in the lemon zest and juice.

This can be served with wilted Asian greens, or other greens such as spinach, broccoli or asparagus.

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