Chicken and Rice

Historical cookbooks make frequent mention of  food that is good for “invalids”.  In the broadest sense of the word, invalid referred to anyone recuperating from an illness. That word has fallen out of favor in our colloquial and formal speech. Not just that. You’d be hard pressed to find a modern cookbook that mentions anything about cooking for sick people.  This is one of the greatest ironies of our culture. The popularity of food blogging is, in part, tied to the rediscovery of the higher importance of food other than solely for nourishment.  Cooking for others is an expression of love. We create special dishes that we know are favorites of  loved ones. We offer food as a greeting to new neighbors, friends and colleagues.  Even with our understanding of the spiritual nature of food, the trend of including special recipes in cookbooks to serve to people when they are sick and the most vulnerable is  no longer in vogue.

We still cook for others when they are sick and in need of special care.  That’s what I’m doing today. My daughter’s family is sharing a nasty stomach bug. It’s hit two out of the four of them and will likely stick around until they’ve all had it. So, I’m making a big pot of chicken and rice for them.  If you can tolerate anything at all after a stomach bug, it will be chicken and rice.  It’s easily digested and not strongly flavored.  Chicken is good lean protein for healing. Vitamins and minerals are in the vegetables, especially since the skins are left on.

The cookbooks written today will not give a hint that we find it important to cook for sick folks.  Thank heavens we have food blogs that can tell the whole story.

Y’all come see us!

Chicken and Rice

yield: a bunch. My 12 quart stockpot was filled 3/4 of the way full.

Stew a whole chicken with vegetables to create a flavorful stock. The vegetables are strained out and the deboned chicken is added back to the pot to cook with rice.  Use a stock pot with a colander to make easy work of removing the chicken and vegetables from the stock.  After the rice is added, stir occasionally.  Once the level of the liquid is just below the surface of the rice, take the pot off the heat, cover it and let it continue steaming the rice. This will ensure tender grains and no scorched bottom. I highly recommend Basmati rice which has a flavor almost like popcorn. It adds a buttery goodness to this dish without the heaviness of butter. If you’d like more of a soupy texture, decrease the rice by half and test for doneness before the liquid cooks below the level of the surface. 

1 (4 to 5 lb) whole chicken

2 stalks celery

3 carrots

1 medium sweet onion, halved

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 quarts water

4 cups Basmati rice

Place whole chicken, breast side down in a colander that fits in a 12-quart stockpot.

Wash the vegetables but don’t bother to peel.  Break up the carrots and celery to fit in the pot.  Add onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Pour water over chicken and vegetables. Bring to boil, uncovered, over high heat.

Cover and turn down to medium heat.  Simmer for 1 hour.

Remove from heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes up to one hour.

Remove chicken and vegetables to a large sheet pan.  Discard vegetables and break chicken into large pieces to cool faster.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, return pot to medium heat.

Remove bones, skin and fat from chicken. Shred or chop the chicken meat  and add back to stockpot.

Taste for seasoning  before adding rice  and make adjustments as needed.

Add rice as soon as the stock is boiling.  Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

When the level of the liquid is just below the surface of the rice, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.

Stir before serving.

You might also enjoy:

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Chicken and Rice

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• Chicken and Rice
• yield: a bunch. My 12 quart stockpot was filled 3/4 of the way full.
• Stew a whole chicken with vegetables to create a flavorful stock. The vegetables are strained out and the deboned chicken is added back to the pot to cook with rice. Use a stock pot with a colander to make easy work of removing the chicken and vegetables from the stock. After the rice is added stir occasionally. Once the level of the liquid is just below the surface of the rice, take the pot off the heat, cover it and let it continue steaming the rice. This will ensure tender grains and no scorched bottom. I highly recommend Basmati rice which has a flavor almost like popcorn. It adds a buttery goodness to this dish without the heaviness of butter. If you’d like more of a soupy texture, decrease the rice by half and test for doneness before the liquid cooks below the level of the surface.
• 1 4 to 5 lb whole chicken
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 carrots
• 1 medium sweet onion halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 quarts water
• 4 cups Basmati rice

Instructions

• Place whole chicken, breast side down in a colander that fits in a 12-quart stockpot.
• Wash the vegetables but don’t bother to peel. Break up the carrots and celery to fit in the pot. Add onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• Pour water over chicken and vegetables. Bring to boil, uncovered, over high heat.
• Cover and turn down to medium heat. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove from heat and let sit for at least 30 minutes up to one hour.
• Remove chicken and vegetables to a large sheet pan. Discard vegetables and break chicken into large pieces to cool faster.
• When chicken is cool enough to handle, return pot to medium heat.
• Remove bones, skin and fat from chicken. Shred or chop the chicken meat and add back to stockpot.
• Taste for seasoning, before adding rice, and make adjustments as needed.
• Add rice as soon as the stock is boiling. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• When the level of the liquid is just below the surface of the rice, cover and remove from heat. Let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Stir before serving.

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