Ingredients: |
Ingredients: **CHICKEN:
500g (1 lb.) chicken thighs or tenders (tenderloin), cut into 1.5cm / 2/3" pieces
(Note 1)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp vegetable or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
1 tbsp olive oil
**RICE:
2 1/2 cups (625 ml) chicken broth/stock, low sodium
2 1/2 cups (625 ml) milk, any fat %
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked (Note 3)
1/4 cup (35g) flour, plain / all purpose
1 tsp vegetable or chicken stock powder (granulated bouillon) (Note 2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
2 broccoli heads (large!), cut into florets (Note 4)
2 cups (200g) shredded cheese
**GARNISH:
2 green onions, finely sliced
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Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (180°C/350°F fan/convection).
Mix Chicken Ingredients.
Heat chicken broth and milk until hot using any method (stove, microwave). Can combine together in saucepan. (Note 5)
Spread rice in 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" ceramic or glass baking dish. (Note 6)
Sprinkle with flour, stock powder and garlic.
Add the hot chicken broth, stir until flour dissolved (some small lumps ok).
Add milk, swish rice to spread out evenly.
Spread broccoli on top, then chicken, then plonk butter on (anywhere).
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. (Might get some browned skin on surface, that's ok)
CHECK rice before stirring - should be JUST cooked (Note 7).
Add half the cheese, stir through, being sure to get rice in the corners and edges of pan. Should be creamy and quite loose (see video).
Top with cheese, return to oven for 5 minutes until just melted.
Sprinkle with green onion, if using, then serve!
Recipe Notes:
1. Chicken - boneless thigh or tenderloin best for juiciest chicken with required cook time. Breast also works but not quite as juicy!
2. Stock powder (aka granulated bouillon / bouillon powder) - this is bouillon cubes in powder form. Any brand or type of chicken or vegetable works fine here, has more flavor than salt which is needed for this shortcut recipe. I like using Vegeta (blue can, vegetable stock powder, sold in herbs & spices aisle, also the secret ingredient Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, fab easy Chicken Rice Soup and Chicken Pot Pie).
Crumbled bouillon cubes will work just fine too! They are essentially the same. The good ones crumble easily into powder. If it doesn't, dissolve in some of the hot liquid then add.
3. Rice - recipe works best with long grain white rice. Will also work with medium or short white rice grain, "standard" (unspecified) white rice, jasmine* or basmati rice*. Recipe as written won't work with brown rice, wild rice, risotto, paella rice, quinoa.
* These types may take 10 minutes or longer during first bake to cook through, make sure to check before stirring rice!
4. Broccoli - use 2 big heads! About 4 - 5 heaped cups, 400g / 14 oz - it can even take more. Frozen broccoli can be used but thaw and drain off excess liquid first (don't put frozen in because it will bring down the temp of liquids = uneven rice cooking).
5. Heating liquid ensures rice cooks evenly and without going gluggy. Heat separately in microwave (I do this) or mix together in same saucepan & heat on stove. It doesn't matter which order they go into the baking pan, it's just easier to pour some liquid in first to dissolve flour, then the rest.
6 Ceramic or glass pan - this is what I always use for good control of heat. Heavy duty cast iron or similar will also work. Flimsy/thin metal pans won't provide even heating as well and may affect how evenly the rice cooks.
7. Cooked rice - rice should be cooked at 40 minutes. But if not, cover with foil and stick it back in the oven. Make sure you check rice before stirring - even cooking of rice depends on remaining submerged under liquid.
8. Scaling recipe (slide scaler) - If you scale down to half, please use a smaller pan (say 8"/20cm). If you scale UP, it should scale up ok by about 25% in the same pan, but anymore and I'd recommend using a separate pan to ensure rice cooks evenly.
9. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings (generous quantities!) |
This recipe for Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole is from