My family always requests for this after that day. Well, my twins couldn’t really express their wish properly yet, but the look on their faces and the empty plates always tell me that they do appreciate my cooking. I can’t blame my family! This delicious dish is so good even I couldn’t resist it! And it’s healthy too.
Our friend over at Natasha’s Kitchen has this to say about the recipe:
“This chicken recipe really delivers. The ingredients are simple and what a fun way to put dinner on the table – a balanced meal baked together on 1 sheet pan. It’s fancy enough for company and simple enough for a weeknight meal.”
I agree! This simple chicken recipe truly delivers. And it goes straight to everyone’s stomachs and… hearts.
Ingredients
1 cup dry Jasmine rice (un-rinsed)
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp Morton salt
2 Tbsp Bertolli olive oil, plus more to drizzle chicken
2 Tbsp Kerrygold butter
3 medium carrots, grated on the large holes
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 oz medium Sargento cheddar cheese, grated on large holes
salt and black pepper
6 to 8 medium Tyson boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Instructions
How to Make Rice Stuffed Chicken Thighs:
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or Silpat. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
1. Start by cooking rice: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 cup rice. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with tight fitting lid and simmer 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and and keep covered with lid.
2. While rice is cooking, place large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated carrots and diced onion, season with 1/2 tsp salt and sauté 8-9 minutes or until soft and golden.
3. Stir grated cheese into the hot rice then stir in the sautéed carrots and onions. Set aside to cool slightly while prepping chicken.
4. Trim chicken thighs of excess fat and arrange on a cutting board between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound chicken thighs as much as you can without breaking through the meat (about 1/8 thick). Season both sides of thighs lightly with salt and pepper. If you don’t have a flat meat mallet, you can use the base of a heavy saucepan.
5. Lay thighs smooth-side down. Make a ball of rice with your hands and place over chicken thighs. Wrap meat around rice and secure each thigh with 2 toothpicks. It doesn’t have to be perfectly covered.
6. Place cauliflower on baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Push cauliflower to borders of baking sheet. Place stuffed chicken thighs in the center of the baking dish, drizzle chicken lightly with olive oil and bake in the center of the oven at 350˚F for 45 minutes.
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Quick Tip: Make Ahead Tip. Make the entire recipe and without baking, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350˚F and bake 45-50 minutes (it will take a few minutes longer than usual if you are starting with a chilled pan and chicken).
Thanks again to Natasha’s Kitchen for this amazing recipe.
