Name: Classic Chicken and Rice with Carrots and Peas
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 onion , chopped fine; 1½ cups long-grain white rice; 3 garlic cloves , minced; Pinch red pepper flakes; 4 carrots , peeled and sliced on bias ½ inch thick; 3½ cups chicken broth; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

We prepared the quick-cooking chicken breasts first, simply seasoning them with salt and pepper and searing them on one side for some flavorful browning. Hoping to avoid the mushy texture and bland taste of instant rice (a common choice for this simple dish), we selected long-grain rice, which stays tender and flavorful over long cooking times. Sautéing the rice in aromatics helped keep the grains distinct and creamy when we poured in the chicken broth. We finished cooking the chicken right in the rice, removing it from the skillet as soon as it cooked through, and then we let the rice continue to simmer gently, absorbing the flavorful liquid. Frozen peas ”typically sweeter and certainly more convenient than fresh” offered bright bursts of flavor, and fresh lemon and parsley perked everything up.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use chicken breasts that are roughly the same size to ensure even cooking. You will need a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. The skillet will be fairly full once you add the browned chicken in step 2, so you may want to consider using a straight-sided skillet or sauté pan if you have one. Fresh basil, chives, tarragon, or cilantro can be substituted for the parsley.

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until golden brown on 1 side, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in carrots, then stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits.

Nestle chicken, browned side up, into skillet, along with any accumulated juices. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing rice. Stir rice mixture to recombine, then cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.

Off heat, sprinkle with peas, cover, and let warm through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and gently fluff rice mixture with fork. Slice chicken into ½-inch-thick slices and arrange on top of rice. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.