Circle B Kitchen
The following recipe reflects the changes that I made to Mr. Bittman’s recipe. Click here to see the original. If you’re pressed for time, you don’t need to brown the meat first; I just like the little boost of flavor and color it brings to the party. As an afterthought... if you have the time to saute a few mushrooms with the onions, all the better. If you'd like, you can cut the chicken thighs up into manageable pieces or leave them whole... your call.
Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman, NY Times
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, about 8 ounces, peeled and diced (almost 2 cups)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs boneless (or bone-in), skinless chicken thighs (see headnote)
1 ½ cups white rice (I use jasmine)
1 teaspoon turmeric
Freshly minced parsley, thyme or cilantro for garnish (optional)
Set 2 1/2 cups of water (or chicken broth or a combo of the two) to boil. Place olive oil in a large skillet that can be covered, and turn heat to medium-high. Add the meat to the pan and sear on both sides until it takes on some good color. Remove the meat to a plate. Add the onions to the pan and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and become translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add rice and turmeric to the onions; stir until each grain glistens. Nestle chicken in the rice, add a little more salt and pepper and pour in the boiling water/broth. Turn heat to medium-low, and cover.
Cook 20 minutes, until all water is absorbed and chicken is cooked through. (You can keep this warm over a very low flame for another 15 minutes; it will retain its heat for 15 minutes beyond that.) Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs, if you like, and a drizzle of lime juice.