ONE POT LEMON ARTICHOKE CHICKEN AND RICE
As this unique summer draws to an end and we’re ready to begin transitioning into new routines for the fall. The way of your dinner time is a great thing to have when you feel like it’s been upside-down. Spending time with your family and friends over a delicious dinner regularly can give you an atmosphere of security, a sense of normalcy, and appreciation for the small things that make life worth living. Simple recipes like the one below, One Pot Lemon Artichoke Chicken and Rice, can help you quickly get back into your dinner routine. Thirty minutes, a pot, and you’re finished! Don’t forget to involve your roommates or family members involved. The making process of cooking can be as enjoyable and relaxing as the food!
In this one-pot dish, I paired the salty flavor of artichokes with vibrant fresh lemons and a little red pepper flakes to give it an extra kick and a little feta salt to give each bite a spark. You can purchase everything you need from ALDI and even the artichoke hearts and feta (their unique cheddar selection is excellent)! It’s the classic delicious rice and chicken dish with a more refined taste variation.
WHAT TYPE OF POT SHOULD I USE?
You’ll require an oven or a skillet with a secure lid to make this recipe. I utilized a covered 3-quart deep skillet. However, it is possible to use a Dutch oven also works well. It is possible to make this using the rice cooker, in case your stovetop rice cooker skills require some tweaking! Add all the ingredients into your rice cooker and give it a quick stir, then set it on the regular rice cooking process.
TIPS FOR ONE POT RICE RECIPES
Like any “one pot” recipe, quality cookware is crucial. A good quality pan or pot that heats evenly will ensure the rice cooks well and evenly without burning. Avoid cooking with heavy or thin cookware because they can create hot and cold spots that don’t cook evenly.
Let the rice and chicken “rest” for about 5 minutes after switching off the flame. This will allow the steam to distribute all over the rice, creating an even texture and dislodging any grains stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Make sure you use a pan or a pot similar in size to the burner. Using a pan that is too large to fit on the burner can cause the pot’s edges to be undercooked.
WHAT CAN I SERVE ON THE SIDE?
I would consider this to be a “one pot meal” that is satisfying and varied enough not to require a dish to accompany it; however, if you’d like to boost the vegetable portion of your meals, it is suggested that it is a simple salad consisting of mixed greens with grape tomatoes and a light vinaigrette will make a great light side. Yes, you have all the ingredients needed to make an incredible side salad similar to it at ALDI!
INGREDIENTS
One fresh lemon ($0.43)
1 lb. Kirkwood Fresh Chicken Breasts (boneless and without skin) ($2.49)
2 Tbsp Carlini Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($0.23)
Four cloves of garlic ($0.16)
1 tsp Stonemill Dried Oregano ($0.10)
1/4 tsp Stonemill Crushed Red Pepper ($0.02)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
1 12oz. Jar Tuscan Garden Quartered Artichoke Hearts ($2.59)
1 cup Earthly Grains Long Grain White Rice ($0.25)
1.5 cups of Chef’s Cupboard Broth for Chicken Broth ($0.45)
1 oz. Emporium Selection Feta Cheese Crumbles ($0.55)
Optional Garnish
Two tablespoons chopped parsley ($0.10)
INSTRUCTIONS
Juice and zest the lemon. You’ll require about two Tbsp lemon juice and one teaspoon of the zest of a lemon (plus some to garnish).
Then drain and chop roughly pieces of heart-shaped artichoke. Cut the garlic into small pieces. Cut the breast of the chicken into pieces of 1/2-inch.
Add olive oil to the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven and cook on medium. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, and cook at medium-high for around 2 minutes (it is not fully cooked by this time).
Incorporate the minced garlic, oregano, minced garlic red pepper, and salt into the skillet and the chicken. Continue to cook for approximately 1 minute.
Then, add the artichoke hearts, cooked rice, chicken broth, two tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp lemon zest into the skillet. Mix well, put a lid on top, and raise the heat to medium-high.
Let the broth reach an entire boiling point, then lower the heat to low or slightly above low to make the temperature almost simmer. The rice and chicken should simmer for 15 minutes without moving the lid and stirring. In 15 minutes, remove your skillet from the stove and allow it to sit unaffected for another five minutes.
After that, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, then gently redistribute the artichoke and chicken hearts across the rice. Then, top the skillet with crumbled feta, a small amount of lemon zest, and chopped parsley (if you’d like). Serve hot, and have fun!
