Quick Chicken and Rice

We're not pretending this is really chicken and rice, the kind that is made by Hispanic cooks and moms around the world. No, this is pretty darn basic. But, as quick and easy one-pot meals go, this is a winner.

You speed things up by using cooked diced chicken and frozen vegetables. You use the heat from the cooking rice to reheat the chicken and vegetables. What could be easier?

One Pot Quick Chicken and Rice
(serves 4, costs $4.30)

2 cups chicken stock in a box or reconstituted chicken bouillon
1 cup white rice (see Note if you want to use brown rice)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 ½ cups frozen vegetables (peas, peas&carrots, green bean, chopped broccoli)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
salt if needed

Bring 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil. Add rice, stir well and reduce heat to maintain a simmer, about medium-low. Cook, covered for about 12-15 minutes, until the level of the stock is below the top of the rice. Add chicken on top of rice, then veggies on top of chicken. Do not stir. The chicken and vegetables will steam and reheat while the rice finishes cooking. Cook, covered, for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the stock. Remove from heat, stir in black pepper, re-cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Add more salt if needed and serve.

Note: You can use brown rice which gives the dish a nice chewy texture. Brown rice takes longer to cook, so plan accordingly. Increase the stock to 2 ¼ cups. Cook for 50 minutes, add the chicken and vegetables, then continue with recipe above.