Mexican Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

For the chicken

    6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
    2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    2 teaspoons onion powder
    1 teaspoon chili powder
    1/2 teaspoon paprika
    1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
    1/4 teaspoon oregano
    1/4 teaspoon cumin

For the rice

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
    1/2 medium white onion, diced
    2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
    4 cups water
    1 tablespoon tomato paste
    salt, to taste
    optional garnish: chopped cilantro and lime wedges

Instructions

• during a massive fridge bag (or bowl), add chicken, one tablespoon of oil, vinegar, onion powder, seasoning, paprika, salt, oregano and cumin. Seal the bag and shake up to fully coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of half-hour, up to nightlong.

• Heat an oversized oven-safe saute pan/deep cooking pan over medium-high heat. Add the one tablespoon of oil. Add 1/2 the chicken thighs to the pan and cook for two minutes per facet, or till chicken isn't any longer pink on the surface. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and cook the remaining chicken identical method.

• heat up kitchen appliance to 350°F. within the same saute pan/skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. (If the cooking pan is already terribly greasy and has enough oil to hide rock bottom of the pan thanks to change of state the chicken, you'll omit this last addition of oil.)

• Add the rice and saute for ten minutes, stirring often, till the rice begins to brown slightly. At this time, some grains of rice could even pop. that is okay. This step adds some nuttiness and a lot of depth of flavor to the rice.

• Add within the onions and minced garlic. Saute for concerning thirty seconds till fragrant . Add within the water, ingredient and a generous pinch of salt. Stir along to combine till the ingredient has totally dissolved.

• cowl the saute pan with a lid or foil, place it within the kitchen appliance and bake for quarter-hour. take away it from kitchen appliance, place the part hard-boiled chicken thighs on high of the rice, cowl and cook for an additional quarter-hour.

• take away the lid or foil and bake for an additional five minutes uncovered. Check the temperature of the chicken thighs to form positive they are hard-boiled through employing a thermometer like this one or by slicing into one.

• take away the pan from the kitchen appliance and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with diced cilantro and contemporary juice, if desired.