Cajun chicken rice goes with the grain

When looking back on my childhood, I regularly note times when I?m very sure my parents were shaking their heads in disbelief at me.

There was the time my dad cajoled me into tasting a jerky-style dog treat after I remarked at how good it smelled (in case you were thinking about trying it, don?t do it. They taste awful).

And every time we visited a small Mexican restaurant we liked to frequent, I?m sure my parents wondered about this person they were raising when I would merely order two side orders of Mexican rice for my meal.

It?s not that I was a picky eater?far from it. I just loved rice. Even now, any time I can figure out how to incorporate rice into a meal, I?m on it.

That?s why I was excited to try this week?s recipe for Cajun chicken rice. It worked as a great meal for us, and it featured one of my favorite things.

This recipe came from the blog ?Kevin & Amanda.? You can find the original at http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/cajun-chicken-rice.html.

Cajun Chicken Rice

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

Directions

Combine the rice, broth and salt in a saucepan that has a lid and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low and put the lid on the pan. Let the rice simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and remove it from the heat.

Cut the chicken into one-inch, bite-sized pieces and season it with lots of Creole seasoning (really coat them well).

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken and brown about two to three minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan an add the onions and peppers. Add some more of the Creole seasoning (I think I probably added a couple teaspoons), and cook until the veggies reach their desired tenderness.

Add the can of tomatoes and green chiles and the chicken and any accumulated juices in with the onion and peppers.

Also add the cooked rice and stir until well-combined.

We loved this, and it made for some delicious leftovers, too. If you?re into Cajun seasonings at all, you will really like this rice.

Joey appreciated that it had a little kick to it, and I liked that it starred one of my favorite ingredients.

And by that I mean the rice?not the dog treats. I don?t think I?ll be trying those in a recipe any time soon.

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