Here’s one of those one-skillet meals where you just put everything into the same skillet and then cover and let cook, giving you time to do other stuff besides work on dinner. This is also a flexible recipe that can be adjusted to meet your taste in protein (meat) and vegetables.

I prefer to cook this in a large cast iron skillet with a heavy lid. However, you could use a dutch oven, or another type of large pan. Personally, I would not use a non-stick surface pan for cooking this.

Main ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked, long-grain rice
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  • small jar of pimentos
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Seasonings (to taste):

  • cayenne pepper
  • turmeric
  • Mrs. Dash
  • cumin

Pour two tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken and lightly brown it in the skillet. Turn off the heat, add the rest of the ingredients. When you add the pimentos, pour the juice in too. Put on the lid, place it in a 325 degree oven for approximately one hour. Depending upon your oven, check it at the 45 minute mark and then cook some more if the rice and vegetables are not done to your liking.

Don’t want chicken? Use pork chops or cube steak instead. Just switch out the chicken broth for beef broth. For beef I would switch the turmeric and cumin for thyme and parsley. For pork, I use just cayenne pepper and Mrs. Dash.

Well, I hope I’ve given you some new dinner ideas. This is a very versatile recipe, try mixing and matching your own favorites.

Enjoy!