Chicken Rice with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella
Fresh flavours of tomato, basil and mozzarella, with olives, peppers, pesto and chicken with rice.
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 Notes):
- 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
- 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.