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Piquillo Pepper Chicken with Spanish Rice


***I don't know what I did to deserve such awesome readers, but I tell you what - You guys ROCK!  I keep getting such sweet e-mail messages from you all...I can't explain to you how much I appreciate these messages.  They always make me smile!  You guys are the reason that I keep writing this blog.  You continuously inspire me to keep cooking and sharing it with the world! 

On that note, I couldn't wait to share this recipe.  We had this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious!  You know what they say - "You eat with your eyes first."  This meal is the perfect example of this.  The vibrant colors of this dish just make you WANT to eat it!  The gorgeous yellow of the rice...the ruby red pepper sauce on the chicken...the green speckles of fresh parsley spattered about throughout the dish...WOW!  This chicken dish is both beautiful on the plate and in your mouth!

The rice just might even be better than the chicken...The rice has the perfect little touch of sweetness from the golden raisins, paired with the savory goodness of toasted almonds.  This rice kicks butt!  I will definitely be making this rice again and again.  It will pair easily with so many other main courses.

This recipe is yet another from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook cookbook.  If you can't tell already, I am really enjoying this new cookbook.  In fact, I gave an autographed copy to one of my little sisters for Christmas, and she's hooked too.

Try this soon...You'll love it!

Bon Appetit!***

Piquillo Pepper Chicken with Spanish Rice
Source Look + Cook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 small handful golden raisins
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 pinch saffron threads or 1 envelope saffron powder
  • 1½ cups white rice
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 pounds)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 jarred piquillo peppers or 2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • 2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  • ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
  • ½ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted (a generous handful)

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the broth, raisins, 1 tablespoon EVOO, turmeric and saffron to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 18 minutes.
  2. While the rice cooks, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add the piquillo peppers to the pan and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the sherry and boil until slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and half the parsley and turn off the heat, stirring to melt the butter. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
  3. Add the remaining parsley and the almonds to the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the rice alongside the chicken.

Comments

Elizabeth said…
Wow - the colors in that dish are beautiful! I love the contrast of the yellow rice with the red peppers.
Unknown said…
really i like your post...just want to eat them..i love cooking and definately i will try this...Looks so delicious.

Thanks
Skinny

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