Whenever I change my clocks and spring ahead to daylight savings time, I’m always thrown off by thinking it’s earlier than it is. The sun is still out, so it must be early. Right? Well, that’s what I thought last night and, yikes, I was dead wrong.
When I looked at the clock, it was 8:03 PM and I hadn’t even started dinner. My son was acting all deprived, neglected, and starved despite just having a bag of Skittles, chips and dip, and a soft drink (nope, he’s not starving at all, trust me!).
Not enough time to cook the meal I had planned, so I had no choice but to punt and go rogue. Time for an inventory check.
I already had rice warming in my rice cooker. If you don’t already have a rice cooker and warmer, it may be time to consider getting one. This handy kitchen appliance cooks rice evenly and easily, plus it keeps the rice warm until you’re ready. It’s especially ideal for multi-day meals or quick meals like this one.
Along with cooked rice, I had canned goods galore in the pantry and cheese in the fridge. Sounded like the makings for a quick meal for sure.
Using the ingredients I had readily available, I created this chicken and rice dish in less than 10 minutes. In fact, I had dinner cooked, served, eaten, kitchen cleaned up, and was sitting on the sofa watching TV just past 8:45 PM — what’s not to love about one-pot meals and paper plates!?
My son said, “Wow, this is really good stuff. You definitely need to make this again.” And now that I’m taking the time to jot down what I’m doing in the kitchen, I can make this exact same dish again…and again…and so can you.
Enjoy!
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Worry-Free Cooking |
- You will want to use a large skillet for this one-pot recipe. As always, I turned to my trusty Classic Cajun Cookware, which is what I recommend. It cooks evenly and is a true workhorse in the kitchen.
- If you don’t already have a Rice Cooker with a Warming Feature, it may be time to consider getting one. This handy kitchen appliance cooks rice evenly and easily, plus keeps the rice warm until you’re ready. It’s especially ideal for multi-day meals.
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Menu Planning |
- The rice and chicken combination makes this a hearty dish. A side of green beans, corn, or a small salad are good sides to complete the meal.
- While this isn’t a Cajun dish, it does lend itself well to a good dousing of Crystal Hot Sauce . After serving yourself a bowl of rice, add as much or as little as you like. It’s not over-the-top spicy and adds an out of this world flavor to this dish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. When reheating, stir in a little milk or water to loosen the rice and recreate the smooth, creamy texture. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freeze leftovers for a meal another time. Scoop cooled rice into an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag and store it in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw and reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy again.
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Helping Hand |
- I used canned chicken; however, leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken cut into bite-sized chunks will work just as well.
- This recipe calls for half a cup of Monterey jack cheese because that’s what was on hand that night. A little more cheese never hurts anyone, so add as much as you like. Parmesan and cheddar cheese are also good substitutes.
- For a little more added veggies, toss in some frozen broccoli after you add the chicken broth. Adding this healthy veggie will surely offset the calories in the cheese, or not. Still a healthy addition to this amazing dish.
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Grocery & Gourmet |
- Any kind of rice will do, though, I’m a huge fan of medium grain white rice. My favorites are Nishiki Medium Grain Rice and Botan Calrose Rice. Both cook well in a rice cooker and are moister and more tender than others I’ve tried.
- My seasoning cabinet is chock-full of Cajun spices, each with a unique flavor and use. For this recipe, I used Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic for its blend of seasonings that complement chicken well. An excellent substitute is Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning , which is an all-time favorite go-to for me.
