ONE PAN TOMATO BASIL CHICKEN & RICE

By Peggie

Crispy chicken bakes over a bed of tomato basil rice in this One Pan Tomato Basil Chicken & Rice. Dinner is ready in 45 minutes! All made in one pan and so easy to prepare, you won’t believe it when it’s done. No rice cookers and no extra pans needed!

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper / capsicum, deseeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips in oil, chopped (optional: adds flavour)
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice, rinsed
• 2 x 14 ounce (400g) tins crushed tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or chicken stock)
• 1-2 teaspoons salt (adjust to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, (adjust to your taste)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• extra chopped fresh basil (to serve)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°c | 400°F. Heat the oil in a large, shallow ovenproof cast iron skillet/or pan. Add the chicken, skin side down; sear for 3-4 mins on medium-high heat. Turn each thigh and sear until golden all over. Transfer the chicken onto a warm plate.
Add the garlic; fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the onion and red peppers / capsicum; fry for about 3 minutes or until and onion is transparent. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, rice, crushed tomatoes and chicken broth (stock). Season with salt, pepper and dried basil. Bring to a simmer and allow the rice to soak up all the tomato flavours.
Place chicken thighs, skin side up, over rice. Bring to the boil; rotate the chicken in the tomato sauce to coat; cover with foil; transfer to preheated oven and allow to bake for about 40 minutes, or until the rice has softened and absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove cover; change oven settings to broil / grill on medium heat for a further 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is crispy and golden.
Season with extra salt to taste; sprinkle with freshly chopped basil to serve.