Smoky Paprika Chicken and Rice Stir-Fry
- Savory
Seared chicken breast and sweet bell pepper tossed with garlic and bloomed paprika, served over fluffy rice with wilted spinach.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 20 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Blooming spices
Instructions
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Rinse 70 g rice under cold water until it runs clear. Put it in a small saucepan with 150 ml water and 0.25 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Take it off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
~20 min
Rinsing washes off surface starch so the grains stay separate, and the covered rest lets steam finish the rice evenly.
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While step 1 cooks
While the rice cooks, cut 150 g chicken breast into 2 cm pieces and toss with 1 tsp cornstarch and 0.25 tsp salt. Slice 1 bell pepper into 1 cm strips, 0.5 onion into thin wedges, and mince 2 garlic cloves.
~5 min
The cornstarch coating holds in moisture and crisps in the hot pan, giving the chicken a golden crust instead of a steamed surface.
-
Melt 0.5 tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes without moving, then stir and cook 2 minutes more, until browned and cooked through to 74°C/165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
~5 min
Leaving the chicken undisturbed lets a browned crust form through the Maillard reaction, which builds deep savory flavor.
Pat the chicken pieces dry before tossing them in cornstarch so they sear instead of steam, and give them space in the pan for a proper golden crust.
Searing Get the pan properly hot and leave the chicken untouched for the first 3 minutes; moving it too early prevents the crust from forming and releases moisture.
-
Add the remaining 0.5 tbsp butter to the skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes, until softened and lightly charred at the edges. Add the garlic and 1 tsp paprika and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
~3 min
Blooming the paprika in hot fat for a few seconds dissolves its flavor compounds and releases color and aroma before they can scorch.
Blooming the paprika in the butter for just 30 seconds releases its color and smoky aroma without turning it bitter, pull the pan off the heat if it starts to darken.
Blooming spices Add ground spices to hot fat and stir constantly for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant; any longer and they scorch and turn bitter.
-
Add 60 g spinach and stir for 1 minute, until wilted. Push the vegetables to one side, crack 1 egg into the empty side, and scramble it for 1 minute, until just set. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan and toss everything together for 1 minute.
~3 min
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Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon it into a bowl. Top with the chicken and vegetable stir-fry and serve hot.
~3 min
