My Dad’s Chicken & Rice

I’m serious when I say that I have been eating this meal most of my life. It’s a recipe that my dad invented, thus the name ‘My Dad’s Chicken & Rice’. He cooked it for us growing up and when I was old enough gave the recipe to me and I’ve been making it myself for about 20 years now.

My dad is a great cook! He makes the most unbelievable grilled chicken. My mouth is watering a little right now as I’m thinking about it. I want to think that he got his skills from my grandmother. On Sunday’s growing up we would have big dinners of lamb, creamed spinach and croissants. Dessert was almost always chocolate pudding with whipped cream. I loved those Sunday’s and I try and keep the tradition alive in our house where Sunday is a day for family and feasting.

Now back to the recipe because once you make ‘My Dad’s Chicken & Rice’ I know that it will quickly become a keeper you make for years yourself.  Gather up your ingredients.

For years I made this recipe on the stovetop in a stockpot using quick cooking rice.  But this Christmas I asked for a Rice Cooker and started making it that way.  Let me tell you abut this rice cooker……

I LOVE IT!  I know a rice cooker seems like something you would use only occasionally but let me tell you that I use this thing all the time. It is a steamer, slow cooker and I pretty much haven’t used my large stockpot (with the exception of this soup) since I got it. If you do not have a rice cooker, please feel free to make this on your stovetop following the same instructions.

In the pan or in your rice cooker add the water, chicken bouillon, rice, soy sauce, water chestnuts and fancy mixed vegetables. If you are using the rice cooker it will let you know when it’s all cooked. If you are doing this on the stovetop follow the package directions for cooking 1 cup of quick cook rice.

Now let’s cook your mushrooms and onions. I cook these separate from the chicken because the chicken will get soggy if cooked together and I like the chicken to be really crispy.  Just add a little butter or oil in the bottom of your pan and sauté until mushroom and onions have browned. Add them to your pot.

Heat about 1 tbs. of oil in the bottom of the same pan used for the mushrooms and onions. Cut chicken into cubes and dredge into a mixture of flour, pepper and garlic powder.

Add chicken to pan and fry until golden brown.

Your rice should be cooked so now just add chicken as the final step and stir to combine all the goodness.

With this recipe I make Chinese Slaw Salad to go with it. Here are the ingredient I use.

Take your Ramen Noodles and break them up. Melt the butter and add the noodles to the pan, discard the packet you won’t be needing it. Brown the dry noodles to your liking for a crunchy topping on this salad.

Take the wet ingredients plus the brown sugar and mix together.  Chop the lettuce and put it in a bowl.  Add the bag of coleslaw mix.  Top with dressing.  Stir to mix.  Top with Ramen Noodles.  Right before serving I cut a lime I half and squirt over the top.  It just adds a great citrus kick to it.

Plate it all up and here you are…..

From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!

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