Chicken and Red Rice

When I was a kid, my mom had this recipe book that she used to cook a few things out of. (This is a big deal because my mom is a self-proclaimed non-cook). The cookbook looked like it was used every day for years because it was falling apart and bound by a rubber band. One recipe she would make from time to time that we all liked was Chicken and Red Rice. Although, I don't know that we ever really knew what that recipe tasted like because my mom was (is) a firm believer in "If we don't have it already in the fridge or cabinet, we don't need it" kind of recipe follower. I think it always tasted a little different every time she made it, which was fine because we all loved it anyway.

Flash forward to me when I first got married over ten years ago. I could kind of cook, but not really. I think the hubby and I lived off of the same 3 dishes until we got sick of seeing and eating them. So I went to my mom's house and tried to find really great recipes. They were scarce, but one I did steal was the Chicken and Red Rice recipe.

I make it at least once a month and it's just as good as it's always been. It's my ten-year-old's favorite dish. And today when I told my seven-year-old what I was making for dinner she jumped up and down, yelled yippee, and then had to go tell everyone else in the house. So yeah, it's good.

It can serve 6 if you don't want leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• Four Chicken Breasts cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can tomatoes, mashed up

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°
2. Melt butter in a large baking dish while the oven heats
3. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt, paprika, poultry seasoning, and pepper
4. Dip chicken bites into flour mixture, coating well and place in baking dish with melted butter
5. Bake chicken bites for 25-30 minutes until browned
6. While the chicken is baking, mix all of the chopped veggies, crushed garlic, oregano, and rice in a container
7. Then, in a small saucepan, boil your chicken broth and tomatoes
8. Once the chicken is done baking, remove the pieces from the baking dish (just put them on a plate or something) and then pour your rice mixture into the baking dish, spreading it out so it evenly covers the bottom
9. Put your chicken bites back in the dish on top of the rice mixture
10. Pour your sauce pan of broth and tomatoes over the whole dish and put it back in the oven for 45 minutes.

Usually, while this is cooking, my hubby makes a big salad with all the works and I make a big pitcher of sweet tea. It's one of those meals where plates get so clean they don't look like they've even been eaten off of. That's what I call cooking success!

Enjoy!