Chicken Rice Pilaf for a Hometown Food #SundaySupper

Chicken Rice Pilaf for a Hometown Food #SundaySupper

Might I be nostalgic for a moment?

When I first married Mrs. Stuntman, my cooking skills were still in it's infancy. One evening when we were still newlyweds, I remember Mrs. Stuntman came home with some pre-marinaded boneless skinless chicken breasts which she dredged in breadcrumbs then sautéed and served with a side of Rice-A-Roni. It was a dish we enjoyed at the time so it made repeat appearances on the dinner table maybe once a month for a while.

I was reminded of this dish when I saw this week's #SundaySupper theme of Hometown Foods which has been hosted by Coleen of The Redhead Baker. I grew up in San Jose which hasn't distinguished a culinary identity from other cities yet so I chose San Francisco with it's iconic side dish.

The Challenge

Replicate the classic dish, but improve it with natural ingredients.

The Source

I was inspired by an article I found on bon appétit.com with some influence from a chicken and rice dish I published two years ago.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup long grain white rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot to sweat, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken until brown and caramelized, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat the grains, approximately 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer until all the chicken stock has been absorbed, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Then remove from heat, fluff with a fork and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and let it rest for approximately 10 minutes. Garnish with the parsley before serving it with your protein.

Successful?

This has been an educational experience, to say the least. I wanted to sear the chicken before adding the broth because I was concerned it wouldn't cook through if I were to just poach the pieces in the stock, which I found is exactly the manufacturer of Rice-A-Roni suggests on their box package as an alternative. I know this because I prepared the box version a couple of nights after I prepared my dish. Regardless of it being full of artificial ingredients, I found it to be rather bland. On a side note, I was amused to find that, despite the jingle claiming the dish to be the San Francisco Treat, Rice-A-Roni is owned by the Golden Grain Company out of Chicago, which is a unit of PepsiCo.

Before you go, please have a look at some of the other regional foods from this week's #SundaySupper participants

Breakfast

• Alamo City Breakfast Tacos by The Weekend Gourmet
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Mickey Mouse Waffles by Wallflour Girl
• New York Style Bagels by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Peanut Butter and Fluff French Toast by Momma’s Meals

Drinks

• Candied Kumquat Peels, Kumquat Syrup, and Kumquat-Ade by Recipe for Perfection
• Wine Pairing Recommendations for Hometown Food by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Appetizers and Snacks

• Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Cuban Sandwich Crostini by Casa de Crews
• Cuban Sandwich Dip by Family Foodie
• South Jersey Boardwalk Popcorn by Take A Bite Out of Boca

Main Dishes

• Chicken and Dumplings by Food Lust People Love
• Crockpot Cincinnati Chili by Palatable Pastime
• Fried Rice Vermicelli with Vegetable Fritters by Brunch with Joy
• Honey Cola Baked Ham by Magnolia Days
• Hot Brown Ham Sliders by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Joe's Special by Nosh My Way
• Lentil, Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Curry by Mess Makes Food
• New England Beans and Cod by Cooking Chat
• Oven Toasted Ravioli by Curious Cuisiniere
• Philadelphia Tomato Pie by The Redhead Baker
• Pierogies by Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
• Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" by PancakeWarriors
• Pozole Rojo by Simply Healthy Family
• Revved-up Poutine by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Rice with Pork and Pineapple by Basic N Delicious
• San Francisco Cioppino by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Seattle-Style Dungeness Crab Roll by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas with Chile con Carne by The Texan New Yorker
• The Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Upper Peninsula Pasties by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Victory Pig Sicilian Style Pizza by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Xiang La Tu Zi // Hot & Spicy Rabbit by Curried Canteloupe

Side Dishes

• 1905 Salad by Supper for a Steal
• Chicken Rice Pilaf by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Classic Italian Risotto in Bianco by La Bella Vita Cucina
• Greek Salad with Potato Salad by Ruffles & Truffles
• Korean Steamed Eggs by Hip Foodie Mom
• Smoke House Cheesy Garlic Bread by Peaceful Cooking

Desserts

• Apple Crisp by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Buckeye Cupcakes by Desserts Required
• Carob Bumpy Cake by Pies and Plots
• Chocolate Earthquake Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chocolate Pocky Cake by NinjaBaker
• Grandma Sweeney's Chocolate Cream Pie by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake by Alida's Kitchen
• Memories of Mom; Michigan Apple Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mile High Strawberry Pie by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Pear Parkin by Happy Baking Days
• Vegan Timbits by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Vernors Cake by Country Girl in the Village

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