Oh the blogging that gets done when the kids are back to school and my workload backs down a bit!  I’m also able to spend more time in the kitchen.  I love trying new recipes…it happens just about every week…but I also have favorites.  This Parmesan Chicken and Rice is quickly becoming a recurring favorite.  It’s one of the those one-pot-wonders that you love on busy nights.  I also hate doing dishes, so it’s good for that too!

The recipe calls for sliced mushrooms and I love mushrooms, so it’s perfect.  The kids…not so much.  My little secret is using kitchen shears.  After the dish is cooked, I cut up the chicken and the mushrooms into tiny pieces.  When you use kitchen shears it’s really quick, I promise.  That way the mushrooms kind of blend in the with the chicken and I can sneak them into the kids’ diet.

You gotta love Trader Joe’s for their ‘2 buck chuck’ (Charles Shaw Chardonnay for those of you who don’t live near a Trader Joes).  I also love love love their brown basmati rice.  I’m not a huge fan of brown rice, to be honest.  I can never get it to cook correctly at home.  I usually end up with a starchy mess.  But, this basmati rice cooks perfectly and has a really nice earthy flavor.

Clients will sometimes ask when they meet me if I really cook every night for my family (the kind of stuff I post on the blog).  The answer…as much as I can.  BUT, tonight is a great example of what sometimes happens.  Brent had a dinner meeting, so I took the kids to Pizza Hut to collect on their Book-It pizzas and I ate leftover winter vegetable soup.  SO not glamorous.  I would say that I cook about 5 out of 7 nights.  I really like it and if I’m busy I’ll do easy dinners like this or use my crock pot.  I’ll share as much as I can, but sometimes I’m cooking too fast to remember to take pictures!

Ingredients

  • 1  tablespoon  olive oil
  • 1/2  cup  chopped onion
  • 1  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
  • 1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme
  • 1  (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
  • 3/4  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2  cup  dry white wine
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1  cup  uncooked instant rice
  • 1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.