Skillet Chicken with Rice

It was one of those days...

Time slipped from afternoon to evening, my wife Julie was out with our daughter, and suddenly I realized it was almost 8pm and I hadn't even thought about what to make for dinner.  I decided to get a little creative with a speed dish.  The boys loved it so much they said to make sure and CTRL+S (or APPLE+S for Mac users) this recipe:

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH RICE
2 Cups white rice
6 Chicken breasts, sliced longways into tenders
1 Cup carrot chunks
1 Cup bell pepper chunks (I like to use both green peppers and tricolor peppers)
1 Cup onion chunks (I like to use both white/yellow onions and purple onions)
1 Cup celery chunks
1/2 Cup sundried tomato chunks, reconstituted in water (optional)
1 Can chicken stock (or equivalent boullion)
2 Cans cream of mushroom soup
Olive oil
Cracked peppercorns
Bay leaves
Sage
Garlic Powder
Salt (go easy -- the soup and chicken stock bring lots of salt to the party already)
[NOTE: my definition of a "chunk" for veggies is between 1/2" and 1" on each side -- large enough to be significant, but not so large as to be rustic]


Start the rice with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt in a rice cooker.  If you don't have a rice cooker, go buy one -- it's one of the best multitasker appliances in the kitchen.

Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to an electric skillet set at 325-350 degrees.  As the oil gets hot, add 5-6 bay leaves and your cracked peppercorns and stir just enough to release the essential oils and fragrance from the herbs and spices.  If you cook your bay leaves too long, they will turn bitter, so be careful.  Add the chicken tenders and cook on both sides until they are white on both sides, but still a bit rare in the middle.  Add the chicken stock, carrots and tomatoes.  Cover and let simmer for a bit.  Add the rest of the veggies and the rest of the spices.  Cover and let simmer until the veggies are al dente, stirring occasionally.  When the veggies are almost the right doneness, add the cream of mushroom soup and stir it in until it is well combined with the other liquid.

Serve the Skillet Chicken over a healthy scoop of rice.  Make sure you get plenty of the gravy to work down into the rice.


There you have it -- quick, simple, satisfying, and very delicious.  Give it a try next time you're in a rush for a quick meal.  Thanks and enjoy the food!