Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 15 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1½ cups uncooked brown rice
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed well
- 8 ounces frozen cut okra or about 15 fresh okra pods, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Heat large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium/high heat. Once pan is hot, add oil. When oil is heated, add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides, for about 7 minutes, until it is fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Work in batches if necessary. Once cooked, remove the chicken and place it on a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion, pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are soft, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to coat vegetables and add the tomatoes. Cook for two minutes.
- Stir in the rice. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the broth.
- Bring to a boil. Next, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. After 10 minutes, add the black-eyed peas and okra just over top the rice and cover. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender, about 20-30 more minutes.
- Stir and fluff the rice with a fork. Top with your favorite hot sauce if desired and garnish with parsley.
Variations & Tips
- You can use chicken breast instead of thighs.
- You can substitute shrimp in place of chicken; it would just need less cook time.
- For a vegetarian meal, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and remove chicken from recipe.
- You can use other types of peppers and onions, whatever you have on hand.
- You can use regular canned diced tomatoes in place of the fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Okra is recommended in this recipe; however, it is not required.
Nutrition Facts
YIELD: 6 servings
Calories: 505 per serving, Carbohydrates: 63g, Fiber: 9.4g, Sugar: 8g (0g added sugar), Protein: 35.8g, Fat: 12.2g, Saturated fat: 2.3g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 370mg
SOURCE: adapted from foodnetwork.com and tasteloveandnourish.com
Presented at the Mount Carmel von Zychlin Healthy Living Center Monthly Cooking Demo December 2022
Watch the cooking demo video below for extra tips and guidance!