SemiHomemade Spanish Chicken and Rice.

Dedicated readers of my food blog know already that I really enjoy using Knorr Rice and Pasta Sides.  They help make meals quicker and easier, especially when time is not cooperating with your life.  So came a day when I had defrosted a package of 8 chicken thighs and a package of 8 chicken legs; removing skin and fat of course.  Having bags of frozen green bell peppers strips and diced onion (yes, I did this myself to have available when necessary), plus an assortment of canned diced tomatoes helped create a delicious meal in very little time.

 

Spanish Chicken and Rice

 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. paprika
8 each of chicken thighs and legs; skin and fat removed.
2 cups diced onion
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and julienned
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 (15.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 (5.5 oz.) packages Knorr Spanish Rice Sides
4 cups water

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, heat olive oil; season chicken with a mixture made with the salt, ground pepper and paprika.  Sear the chicken, only cooking partway; remove to plate.

In same skillet add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cooking for 10 minutes until softened.  Mix in tomatoes, cook another 5 minutes before adding contents of Rice Sides packages and water. 

Bring to a boil, add back chicken; cover, turn heat down to low and continue to cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, uncover and allow any remaining water to be absorbed.  Chicken will have finished cooking and absorbed flavors from the seasonings in the rice packages.

Makes 8 to 16 servings depending on whether 1 or 2 pieces of chicken are eaten in one serving.

Note: instructions on the Rice Sides say to include oil; no need to since that is what the chicken and vegetables were prepared in.

Mary Cokenour

Crock Pot Cooking with Chicken.

While the crock pot is most definitely a kitchen tool of convenience; it can, for the cook, be an experimental lab. There are those days when I have no clue what to do with some ingredients; I get tired of making the same old, same old.  Take, for example, bone-in chicken legs and thighs; do I fry them up again or bake them in barbecue sauce?  See, I'm not a big fan of these pieces of chicken, but my hubby loves them.  I make many food items I dislike because he enjoys them; that's part of being in love.

I'd just purchased some new Knorr Noodles and Rice Sides (yes, I cheat), one being Teriyaki Noodle; and there was that bottle of sweet and sour sauce with only about 2 cups left inside....bingo!  How to prepare was the next question, and while digging in the kitchen closet for a baking pan, I spied the crock pot....second bingo!

Eight hours later I tried a chicken leg with the teriyaki noodles; even though I'm not fond of chicken legs, it wasn't half bad.  My hubby, though, loved it, and that was the most important taste test of all.

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

 Ingredients:

4 lbs. chicken thighs and legs, skin removed

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 8 pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 8 pieces
1 (15.25 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
2 cups sweet and sour sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 (4.7 oz.) packages Knorr Asian Sides – Teriyaki Noodles

Preparation:

Spray a 6 quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer chicken in first; follow with bell peppers and pineapple.  Pour sauce over all; sprinkle sesame seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover, set on low and cook for 8 hours.  A half hour before ready to serve, prepare noodles according to package directions.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour