Recipe Review from 7/7/2014

A mid-summer head cold knocked me on my ass last week so meals were simple and uneventful.  The Husband made the Cajun Chicken and Rice dish for us late in the week - three meals worth of leftovers!  Woot!

The Meal Plan:
Mon (yoga)  Turkey Salsa Burgers
Tues - Leftovers
Wed (Husband out) Cajun Chicken and Rice
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri (Supper with Tess) leftovers

Lunches - sandwiches, fruit, chips, nuts, etc.

Cajun Chicken and Rice (Gluten Free Bible)   gluten free
This is not a new-to-me recipe, but it is the first time I've made it.  Pretty simple actually - brown chicken, chop veggies, combine in a casserole pan, bake and eat!  I love chicken and rice and this fit that craving.  Sister K4 has made this for me twice and it was this recipe that led me to go and get the above cook book.

That being said, a couple of modifications and one tiny hiccup.  I used all chicken thighs instead of thighs and drummies.  I also used brown rice instead of white rice (I was out of white) and I think that contributed to my hiccup - the dish should have been done in an hour, but it took an hour and a half.  Last half hour I bumped the heat up to 425*.  The Husband used two pieces of used aluminum foil, which perhaps didn't seal tightly enough and the rice didn't cook like it should have.  So if using brown rice, I think the temp needs to be increased to at least 400* and the aluminum foil tightly sealed.

4 chicken drummies, skin removed
4 chicken thighs, skin removed  (we used 1 20oz pkg thighs)
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
3/4 tsp salt (omit if Cajun seasoning is salted)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can (low sodium) chicken broth
1 cup uncooked rice (I used brown - see my notes above)
1 medium green pepper (I used orange)
1 medium red pepper (I used yellow)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground tumeric

1. Preheat oven to 350*.  Lightly coat 9x13 with cooking spray.

2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with Cajun seasoning and salt.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides.  Remove and set aside.

3.  Add broth to skillet; bring to a boil, scraping browned bits from bottom.  Stir in rice, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, thyme and turmeric.  Pour into prepared baking dish.  Place chicken on top.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake 1 hour or until chicken [rice!] is cooked through.  Serves 6.