Today for lunch I’m making Chicken with Rice for 1 or 2. You will need:

2 Chicken Breasts
¼ to maximum ½ cup of uncooked healthier brown or regular white rice
2 scallions
6 to 9 small baby carrots
1 spoon of Olive oil
1 teaspoon of Vegeta
Pinch of black pepper

First you put the two chicken breasts in a pot with 3 cups of water and get it to boil on high heat. After few minutes the chicken should have turned white.

On top of the water there will be some white “scum”, which is white foamy floating stuff that rises on top when the chicken cooks. You can remove by fishing it out with a small strainer or if you don’t have one just use a spoon. At this point, the chicken will be half cooked, which is what we need.

 

While the chicken is boiling, chop up the 2 whole scallions, and all of the baby carrots too. Then grab a small aluminum casserole dish, pour 1 spoon of Olive oil in it and heat it up on the stovetop.

Take the chopped scallions and carrots and then place them in the heated oil casserole dish and sauté them for 2-3 minutes, but not browning. You just want to bring out a bit more of their natural flavors.

 

At this point, add the ½ cup of brown rice.

 

I like brown rice because it’s not bleached, gluten free and whole grain. Also brown rice has been proven to be beneficial for weight management, diabetes, cancer, cholesterol levels and heart health. But if you like white rice better, you can use it instead. The amount we are using per serving per person is so small and so sporadic in our overall recipes, that it will make no dietary difference.

You stir all of these things, seasoning with teaspoon of Vegeta and black pepper. Stir until thoroughly mixed and turn off the fire.

 

Now, remove the chicken breasts from the water, which is now chicken broth. Place them on top of the rice with scallion and carrots mix.

 

Pour in the chicken broth, until liquid almost fills it. Leaving an inch or two from the top of the casserole dish. If you are using a small dish most if not all of the broth will be used. You can add more regular water if you run out of broth.

Last step, place the dish on the bottom surface of the oven, not the racks, on 400 F and let it cook. It will take at least 20 minutes, if not a little longer for the chicken broth to evaporate.

Make sure not to leave the dish for longer then 5 minutes after the water has boiled out. Five minutes will give a little crust on top for both the chicken and the rice, but leaving it for longer than that, will dry out the whole meal.

 

Let it cool off for few minutes end enjoy. Doesn’t need it, but it can be served with few cuts of French baguette.