Step away from ordinary white rice and embrace the vibrant world of red rice! With its beautiful hue, nutty flavor, and delightfully chewy texture, red rice is a fantastic and healthy alternative. This recipe pairs it perfectly with tender cooked chicken and a medley of crisp, fresh vegetables like carrots and zucchini. It's a complete, balanced meal in one bowl – wholesome, colorful, and packed with flavor. Perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner or a satisfying lunch, this dish is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Red rice with vegetables and chicken.
Ingredients for Red Rice with Vegetables and Chicken
- 100 g of red rice
- 150 g of cooked chicken breast
- 50 g of onion
- 70 g of carrots
- 100 g of zucchini
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- zira (cumin), salt, and pepper to taste
- green onions for serving
How to Cook Red Rice with Vegetables and Chicken
Drain the soaked rice in a colander and rinse with cold running water.
Pour 250 ml of cold water over the rice.
Cook on low heat for 40 minutes.
Red rice is delicious and very different from the usual white rice. You can’t cook red rice as quickly as white rice, but the time spent is well worth it. So, pour cold water over the red rice and let it soak for 8-12 hours. Producers recommend soaking the rice for at least 40 minutes, but from my experience, the longer, the better. Drain the soaked rice in a colander and rinse it under cold running water.
Place the rinsed rice in a saucepan. Pour in 250 ml of cold water.
Bring the rice to a boil, and salt to taste. Cover the saucepan with a lid that has a steam vent. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes. Then, cover with a towel and let it sit for another 10-20 minutes.
Cooked this way, the red rice turns out fluffy.
Cooked this way, the red rice turns out fluffy, with the grains not sticking together.
Pour extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan and add the chopped vegetables.
Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes; they should remain crispy.
Add the red rice to the vegetables.
Prepare the vegetables. Cut small green onions into 4 parts. Scrape young carrots and cut them into sticks. Cut the zucchini the same way as the carrots. If you’re using mature zucchini, you’ll need to peel them and remove the seeds. Pour extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan and add the chopped vegetables.
Salt the vegetables, sprinkle with ground black pepper and zira (cumin) crushed in a mortar. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes; they should remain crispy. In Italy, this cooking method is called al dente – cooked, but still firm to the bite.
Add the red rice to the vegetables. Mix the ingredients and heat for just a couple of minutes, so the rice absorbs the olive oil and vegetable juices.
Add the chopped chicken to the rice and vegetables.
Cut the cooked chicken breast into large cubes. Finely chop a small bunch of green onions. Add the chopped chicken to the rice and vegetables. Sprinkle the dish with green onions and serve immediately.
And there you have it – a simple, elegant, and incredibly nutritious dish of red rice with vegetables and chicken. This meal is a testament to how healthy eating can be both easy and delicious. Feel free to customize it with your favorite vegetables or add a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro for extra freshness. A squeeze of lemon juice before serving can also brighten up the flavors. Enjoy this wonderful dish that's sure to leave you feeling satisfied and nourished!
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