Chicken and Broccoli Rice Pilaf
Golden seared chicken and broccoli folded through rice that soaks up all the savory pan juices. One pot, five portions, ready to pack for the week.
- Total
- 60 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 35 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Absorption rice
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Cut the chicken breast into 3 cm pieces and season with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Cut the broccoli into 3 cm florets. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
~12 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the rice grains stay separate instead of turning gluey.
-
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear without moving for 3 minutes, then turn and sear 2 minutes more, until golden on both sides. The chicken will not be cooked through yet. Transfer it to a plate.
~5 min
Searing in a single layer without moving builds Maillard browning, which creates deep savory flavor.
Searing Pat the chicken dry and leave it undisturbed in a hot pot until it releases easily; moving it too early prevents a golden crust.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the broccoli to the same pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until it picks up the browned bits and turns bright green. Push it to one side.
~3 min
-
Add the drained rice to the pot with the broccoli and stir for 1 minute so every grain is coated in the pan oils. Pour in 700 ml water and add the remaining 1 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Stir once, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
~1 min
Coating each grain in oil keeps it from clumping and helps it absorb water evenly.
Absorption rice Use a gentle simmer and keep the lid on; listen for a faint sizzle at the end, then rest off heat so the rice steams dry.
-
Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pot, nestling the pieces into the rice. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed most of the water and is nearly tender.
~15 min
Nestling the chicken into the rice lets it finish cooking gently and release juices into the grains.
Absorption rice Use a gentle simmer and keep the lid on; listen for a faint sizzle at the end, then rest off heat so the rice steams dry.
-
Take the pot off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. The rice finishes steaming and the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F. Fluff with a fork, check seasoning, and portion into five containers.
~10 min
Off-heat steam finishes the rice evenly and lets the chicken rest so its juices redistribute.
Rest the pot off the heat with the lid on: the trapped steam finishes the rice and keeps the chicken juicy, so resist stirring during those 10 minutes.
If the rice still tastes firm when you lift the lid, sprinkle 2 tbsp hot water over the surface, cover, and steam 3 more minutes off the heat.