Tired of endless pots and pans after dinner? Get ready to simplify your life with this one-pot chicken and green vegetable pilaf recipe! Imagine a delicious, healthy, and complete meal ready in a single pot—tender chicken, perfectly cooked rice, and vibrant green vegetables all harmonizing in one flavorful dish.
Ingredients
I've got a mouthwatering list of ingredients for this one-pot wonder, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor and goodness! We're talking about 300g of chicken breast—that's one large one—two tablespoons of olive oil, and one diced brown onion.
Don't forget two minced garlic cloves! Then, we're adding three zucchinis cut into cute, 1.5cm cubes, plus three bunches of asparagus, chopped into 5cm pieces.
A small lemon is essential, along with two cups of frozen peas—easy peasy! And 60g of crumbled feta cheese–because who doesn't love feta?!
Grab one cup of uncooked long grain or basmati rice, and 1 3/4 cups of chicken stock. Using homemade chicken stock will greatly enhance the depth of flavour. A pinch of salt and pepper, and we are ready to rumble! Oh, and optionally a bit of parsley for decoration and some lemon wedges for serving.
Instructions
Now that we've gathered all these awesome ingredients, let's get cooking! I heat olive oil in a big pot – non-stick is your friend here – over medium-high heat. I toss in the garlic and onion, sautéing 'em until the onion's soft; it'll take about 2 minutes.
Next, I add rice and stir so each grain gets oiled up, then I pour in chicken stock. Once it simmers, I turn the heat down to medium-low. I am using long grain rice, but it would also be delicious with short grain rice.
I place chicken on the rice – kinda burying it! I cover the pot and cook for 5. I remove the lid and add peas and zucchinis – don't stir! I cover again, cooking another 5-8 minutes, until the water's absorbed and rice is a *tad* undercooked!
Time to remove the chicken. I set it aside to chill for a sec. I scatter the asparagus on top, lid back on, and cook for 1-2 minutes. I remove the pot from the stove and wait 5. Then, I shred the chicken and add it back!
Recipe Notes
Let's explore into a few quick recipe notes to guarantee this dish turns out perfectly! First, chicken size matters – if you're using two small chicken breasts instead of one big one, pull 'em out a tad earlier—otherwise, they'll be tougher than your gym teacher's patience!
Rice, rice, baby! Long grain or basmati are your best bets; they stay separate and fluffy. Brown rice, jasmine, or medium grain can sub in, but steer clear of risotto rice—unless you're aiming for chicken risotto, which is a whole different ball game.
Feta time! I'm a Danish feta fan, but honestly, Greek or regular feta works just fine—goat cheese is fantastic, too, if you're feeling fancy. Remember, it's all about making it *your* dish!
Nutritional Information
Let's break it down. You're looking at around 328 calories per serving. Not bad, huh? Plus, you get 40.8 grams of carbs—fuel for your fantastic adventures!
As for protein, it packs a punch with 24.5 grams. That's gonna help you build those muscles! There's also 8 grams of fat—healthy fats, of course!
I almost forgot, it has 6.2 grams of fiber – good for digestion – and 39.6mg of Vitamin C which is like a superhero for your immune system. So, eat up and enjoy this unintentionally healthy and delicious dish—you won't regret it!
Short Recipe Version
One-Pot Chicken and Green Vegetable Pilaf
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup chopped asparagus
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add chicken and cook until browned.
- Add onion and garlic; cook until softened.
- Stir in rice and chicken broth; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in broccoli, peas, and asparagus.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with feta or goat cheese (optional) before serving.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 400
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 30g