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Prepare the ingredients: Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Chop the yellow onion, thinly slice the leek (using only the white and light green parts), dice the orange bell pepper, slice the cremini mushrooms, and mince the garlic. Rinse the long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear; drain well.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on all sides. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, sliced leek, and diced orange bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, and the garlic is fragrant.

Stir in the rinsed rice, coating it with the vegetables and any residual oil in the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to lightly toast the rice.

Return the seared chicken to the pot. Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, then add the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Do not lift the lid during this time.

Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to steam further and become fluffy. Uncover, fluff the pilaf gently with a fork, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve warm.


Prepare the ingredients: Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Chop the yellow onion, thinly slice the leek (using only the white and light green parts), dice the orange bell pepper, slice the cremini mushrooms, and mince the garlic. Rinse the long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear; drain well.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on all sides. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, sliced leek, and diced orange bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, and the garlic is fragrant.

Stir in the rinsed rice, coating it with the vegetables and any residual oil in the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to lightly toast the rice.

Return the seared chicken to the pot. Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, then add the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Do not lift the lid during this time.

Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to steam further and become fluffy. Uncover, fluff the pilaf gently with a fork, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve warm.
