Chicken and Rice: the Favorite Dish of Athletes

If you practice sports or if you have a demanding and daily workout routine, you know it is important to keep proteins, fiber and carbs intake high. Chicken and rice is probably the number one dish you go to when you have to boost your energy and have an appetizing meal, right? 

If you ran out of ideas on how to improve this dish, you might want to try a different version so here’s a recipe you can follow to have the perfect chipotle chicken and rice.

Which rice to use?

One of the first things you can do to elevate your dishes is to include rice. As you probably know already, white rice is the ingredient feeding over 60% of the worldwide population, but few people know and try the many different types of rice there are. The boldest choice for many is brown rice.

However, this recipe uses Jasmine rice, an aromatic type of white rice. Its main characteristic is that, when you cook it, it releases a delicious fragrance that also impregnates the food it goes with. It is creamy, firm and delicious.

If you are not used to cooking Jasmine rice, make sure you follow the package instructions on the cooking time. Besides, take into account that Jasmine rice (as other types of aromatic rice) uses less water. While regular white rice needs two cups of water, Jasmine rice uses a one-to-one ratio, one cup of water for every cup of rice.

You will need:

• 1 ½ cup of jasmine rice.
• 6 chicken legs (with bone and skin).
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
• Salt to taste.
• 1 or 2 onions.
• 4 cloves of garlic.
• 2 canned chipotle peppers.
• 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• 3 cups of chicken broth.
• ¼ cup of lime juice.
• Cilantro.

Follow these steps:

1. Start by seasoning the chicken legs with salt, pepper and some chili powder. Use some oil if necessary to make sure the seasoning is even.
2. Take a large skillet and pour some extra virgin olive oil. Place the skillet over a medium heat and cook the chicken legs. Cook them in batches if necessary or use more than one skillet. Cook for five to seven minutes on both sides until they are fully browned. Once done, set them aside on a plate.
3. As the chicken legs cook, take one or two onions depending on the size. Peel them and slice them. Mince four cloves of garlic and take everything to the now empty skillet. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. 
4. Now, add the rice together with the chipotle peppers. Pour two tablespoons of adobo sauce and give everything a good stir. Let the rice cook for about three minutes making sure it is well coated on the sauce and it doesn’t stick to the pan.
5. Add three cups of chicken broth and bring the mix to a boil. Add the lime juice and the chicken legs. 
6. Cook over a medium or low heat for about half an hour, keeping an eye on the pan and stirring frequently. 
7. Make sure the rice is soft and the liquid absorbed. The chicken should be fully cooked by now, then turn off the heat.
8. With the heat off, place the lid over the pan and let it sit for ten minutes so that everything finishes cooking with the steam. After that time, take a fork, uncover the pan and fluff the rice.
9. Garnish everything with some basil leaves and cilantro.

Chicken and rice doesn’t have to be a boring meal anymore. In fact, once you start paying attention you will notice each country has made a local version of this internationally popular dish. 

As for rice, there are just as many types as recipes there are so make sure you experiment with all of them, not just the classic white rice we all know and have in stock.

Lastly, if you’re not into the bony side of chicken, you can also give chicken thighs a second chance and try arroz chaufa, the Peruvian version of the classic Chinese fried rice. Check that recipe here: https://carolinarice.com/recipes/arroz-chaufa/.

Whatever recipe you try, however you choose to have this dish next, let us know how it goes in the comment section!