Six O’Clock Solution: Celery boosts flavour of chicken and rice (2024)

This homey recipe demonstrates two of Toronto blogger Jennifer Emilson’s tips for cooking chicken: celery boosts flavour, and adding seasonings after you brown the chicken avoids burning the meat. It’s from The Lemon Apron Cookbook (Appetite by Random House, $36), a good-looking collection of more than 100 easy recipes from many cuisines, including from Emilson’s German-Canadian background.Her blog The Lemon Apron demonstrates her careful, detailed instructions.

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Testing this recipe, I used 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly grated lemon peel instead of lemon zest, skipped the onion powder, and used 2 cans (284 mL/10 ounces each) chicken bouillon, and no water, as the liquid.

If you buy large chicken thighs, one per serving is plenty. If preferred, you can cook and bake the whole dish in one large, heavy, ovenproof pan.

Mum’s Chicken and Rice

Serves 4 to 6

2 teaspoons (10 mL) paprika

2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried thyme leaves

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon (5 mL) each lemon zest, onion powder and garlic powder

1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil

2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter

6 to 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup (250 mL) uncooked basmati rice

1 3/4 cups (425 mL) chicken stock

2 tablespoons (30 mL) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, thyme, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) each salt and pepper, the lemon zest, onion powder and garlic powder. Set aside.

In a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, heat oil and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the butter until sizzling. Brown the chicken thighs for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to cool.

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Pour off all but 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the fat from the pan, place pan over medium heat and sauté onions until they start to soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Add celery and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) each of salt and pepper and cook until the celery begins to soften, about 3 minutes.

Rub the browned chicken thighs on all sides with the seasoning mixture.

Spread the vegetable mixture evenly in a 9- by 13-inch (3.5 L) baking pan. Spread rice evenly over the vegetables and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter.

Arrange chicken thighs evenly on the rice. Pour chicken bouillon and 1/2 cup (125 mL) water into pan on the rice, avoiding the chicken thighs. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Bake pan of chicken and rice for 35 to 45 minutes, uncovering pan for the last 15 minutes of baking. An instant-read thermometer inserted in chicken should read 165 F (75 C) when chicken is done. (If desired, cool pan and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then reheat, covered, at 350 F/180 C for 45 minutes.)

Serve sprinkled with parsley.

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