Spanish-Style Chicken and Rice
I love when recipes are quick and still call for all the right ingredients
I love when recipes are quick and still call for all the right ingredients
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 medium onion minced
- 4 each chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 ounce chorizo sausage quartered lengthwise and sliced -inch thick
- 1 medium red bell pepper cored and chopped fine
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 1/2 cup white rice instant
- 3 clove garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup peas frozen
- Carbohydrate 89.6075500114693 g
- Cholesterol 174.302 mg
- Fat 27.0212604465993 g
- Fiber 5.76047557184463 g
- Protein 74.9724635531841 g
- Saturated Fat 7.58498266097138 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (566g)
- Sodium 1071.17102131959 mg
- Sugar 83.8470744396246 g
- Trans Fat 2.09797031647406 g
- Calories 927 calories
Step-by-step
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour to coat and shake off excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken well on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo, onion, bell pepper, saffron and teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into rice, browned side up. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until liquid is absorbed and thickest part of chicken registers 160F (70C) on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to plate. Off heat, sprinkle peas over rice, cover and let warm through, about 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with chicken.
How does instant rice absorb flavor without turning to mush under a heavy lid? Achieving the correct textural balance requires understanding how starch behaves when introduced to hot liquids and fats. Dredging the poultry in flour before searing creates a protective crust via protein denaturation, which simultaneously thickens the eventual cooking liquid when residual flour enters the pan. Searing the meat over medium-high heat until the skillet is just smoking triggers the Maillard reaction, developing savory compounds that water-based boiling cannot replicate.
Instant rice cooks rapidly because manufacturers partially gelatinize the grains during processing. Toasting the rice grains alongside minced garlic and aromatics for thirty seconds coats them in oil, inhibiting excessive liquid absorption that causes pasty starches. Scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom incorporates fond into the chicken broth, distributing soluble proteins evenly throughout the skillet.
Monitoring internal temperature dictates success or failure; pulling the poultry at 160 degrees Fahrenheit prevents dry, overcooked meat while ensuring safety. Nestling the cutlets into the rice allows the resting juices to enrich the surrounding grains during the final ten-minute cover phase. Adding frozen peas off the heat preserves their vibrant green color and crisp texture by preventing chlorophyll breakdown caused by prolonged boiling.
Managing Starch and Moisture
Instant rice cooks rapidly because manufacturers partially gelatinize the grains during processing. Toasting the rice grains alongside minced garlic and aromatics for thirty seconds coats them in oil, inhibiting excessive liquid absorption that causes pasty starches. Scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom incorporates fond into the chicken broth, distributing soluble proteins evenly throughout the skillet.
Thermal Control and Finishing
Monitoring internal temperature dictates success or failure; pulling the poultry at 160 degrees Fahrenheit prevents dry, overcooked meat while ensuring safety. Nestling the cutlets into the rice allows the resting juices to enrich the surrounding grains during the final ten-minute cover phase. Adding frozen peas off the heat preserves their vibrant green color and crisp texture by preventing chlorophyll breakdown caused by prolonged boiling.
