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Home » Recipes

Chicken Rice with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella

Published: Mar 8, 2023 · Modified: Jan 14, 2025 by Deborah · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · #sponsoredpost · Leave a Comment

Chicken rice with tomato, basil and mozzarella in large round casserole
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This chicken rice with tomato, basil and mozzarella recipe appeared in last month's Delicious magazine.   

The end result has the unmistakable delicious fresh flavour combination of tomato, basil and mozzarella.   Add to that, olives, peppers, pesto and chicken with rice, and you have a dish that's guaranteed to banish the last remnants of those winter blues.  

Honestly, this is one of those dishes that you will enjoy any time of the year...I'm looking forward to enjoying it outside in the garden with a glass (or 2!) of white wine...

Tips

  • Time saver – use shop bought pesto, if you like, and just loosen it with a little olive oil to make it easier to drizzle.
  • This chicken rice with tomato, basil and mozzarella recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

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How to make this Chicken Rice with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella

Ingredients

  • olive oil, for frying
  • 500g skinless boneless chicken thighs, roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • a pinch of salt
  • 125ml white wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 600ml chicken stock (made using a stock pot or cube)
  • 50g pitted black olives
  • 350g long grain rice
  • 100g mozzarella, torn

For the pesto (see Tips):

  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 0.5 clove garlic
  • 15g parmesan, finely grated
  • half a bunch of basil, chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 80ml olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • a dash lemon juice or cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Put a large saucepan or casserole (one with a lid) over a medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, then lift out and set aside.
  2. Add another glug of oil followed by the onion, pepper, chilli (if using) and garlic with a pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to low medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Put the chicken back in the pan along with the wine and herbs. Leave to simmer for 3 minutes until reduced by half, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock and olives. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the rice and simmer for a further 10 minutes uncovered.
  4. Meanwhile, make a quick pesto by grinding the pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and chopped basil into a paste in a pestle and mortar (or pulse briefly in a small food processor). Stir in the oil, then taste and season with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice or cider vinegar.
  5. Scatter the mozzarella over the rice, then cover and leave to gently cook for a final 5 minutes. Drizzle over the pesto, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

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Chicken rice with tomato, basil and mozzarella in large round casserole

Chicken Rice with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella

By: Deborah
Fresh flavours of tomato, basil and mozzarella, with olives, peppers, pesto and chicken with rice.
PREP: 20 minutes minutes
COOK: 42 minutes minutes
TOTAL: 1 hour hour 2 minutes minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 people
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Equipment

  • Shallow casserole dish
  • Pestle and mortar
  • Food processor

Ingredients

  • olive oil for frying
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) skinless boneless chicken thighs roughly chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 red pepper deseeded and chopped
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and sliced (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • a pinch of salt
  • 125 ml (½ cup) white wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 400 g (14.1 oz) chopped tomatoes
  • 600 ml (2 ½ cups) chicken stock (made using a stock pot or cube)
  • 50 g (1.8 oz) pitted black olives
  • 350 g (12.3 oz) long grain rice
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) mozzarella torn

For the pesto (see Notes):

  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 0.5 clove garlic
  • 15 g (0.5 oz) parmesan finely grated
  • half a bunch of basil chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • a dash lemon juice or cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Put a large saucepan or casserole (one with a lid) over a medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, then lift out and set aside.
  • Add another glug of oil followed by the onion, pepper, chilli (if using) and garlic with a pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to low medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
  • Put the chicken back in the pan along with the wine and herbs. Leave to simmer for 3 minutes until reduced by half, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock and olives. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the rice and simmer for a further 10 minutes uncovered.
  • Meanwhile, make a quick pesto by grinding the pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and chopped basil into a paste in a pestle and mortar (or pulse briefly in a small food processor). Stir in the oil, then taste and season with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice or cider vinegar.
  • Scatter the mozzarella over the rice, then cover and leave to gently cook for a final 5 minutes. Drizzle over the pesto, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Notes

  • Time saver – use shop bought pesto, if you like, and just loosen it with a little olive oil to make it easier to drizzle.
  • This chicken rice with tomato, basil and mozzarella recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

 

You might also like to try:
  • chicken and turkey dishes
  • Italian dishes

Nutrition

Calories: 884kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 914mg | Potassium: 1003mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1869IU | Vitamin C: 82mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS chicken thighs, chopped tomatoes, long grain rice, one-pot, pesto
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About

Photo of Deborah in her kitchen!

Hello!   I’m Deborah and I’m married to David and have 2 lovely step sons.   David and I both love cooking…for ourselves, family and friends.   I’m definitely one of the lucky ones…getting cooked for and we enjoy cooking together.

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