Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice casseroles are a great way to feed a ton of people OR to have a ton of leftovers. I'm trying very hard to eat leftovers so in order to do that I need to make sure it's something I'd head up.

This recipe I'd heat up. 

It definitely feeds 6 - but you'd need to have a side veggie of some sort. 

I used chicken tenders, because that's what I had, and I wouldn't do that again. They were overcooked - even for me. I think using chicken breast the amount of time in the oven would be just right.

The flavor here was spot on too. The rice gets a nice beefy/oniony flavor. I added about a tablespoon of Onion Soup Mix too and that really up'd the onion flavor. Delicious!

I think cut up steak bites in this rice dish would be amazing. 

Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Recipe from AllRecipes

Serves 6

• 2 cups white rice
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed beef consommé, such as Campbell's
• 1 (10.5-ounces) can condensed French onion soup, such as Campbell's
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Stir rice, portobello mushrooms, beef consommé, and French onion soup together in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with butter pieces and 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Season chicken evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and place on top of cheese and butter. Top with remaining cheese and cover dish with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, liquid has been absorbed into the rice, and chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.

Peyton Beckwith

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Oh boy...I don't even know where to start with this meal. First, its entirely too hot here in Seattle. 89F
outside right now and for us, that's hot. I almost decided to not cook because it was too hot. But boy am I glad I did. This dish was amazing. 

I sorta followed the recipe. The one and only change I made is I swapped our dark meat chicken for chicken breast. 

And then when I served myself a plate I decided I wanted some hummus with it. Such a good combination. 

This one is a keeper for sure.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 tsp Turmeric
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 11/4 c chicken stock
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Tomato
• 1.5 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 10 ounce Diced Skinless Chicken (dark or breast meat)
• 1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice Blend
• 2 Pitas
• 1 tsp Chalula hot sauce

In a small pot, melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat. Stir in 1⁄4 tsp turmeric (1⁄2 tsp for 4 servings); cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4), stock concentrate, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring 2 TBSP butter(4 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. • Quarter lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into 1⁄2-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Open package of dark meat chicken and drain off any excess liquid; season with Shawarma Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Toast pitas until softened and warmed through. • Spread with softened butter, then cut each pita into quarters.

Once rice is done, fluff with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. • Divide rice between bowls. Top with chicken and tomato in separate sections; season tomato with a pinch of salt. Drizzle everything with as much white sauce and Cholula hot sauce as you like; garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita and remaining lemon wedges on the side. TIP: We like to scoop up some of the rice, chicken, tomato, and sauces with a pita wedge and eat it all in one bite!

Chicken Fried Rice

Photo from Butter 
Your biscuit

Fried rice is one of the menu options I always order when eating out for Chinese food. But, not all fried rices are made the same. I prefer mine to be savory, not sweet. 

I've made a couple of versions of fried rice and I have to say, I prefer making my own. Part of the problem though is I often forget to make the rice the day before and let it sit over night. THAT is key

This is an easy recipe and delicious. I think it'd also work well with left over chicken. In fact, it'd be a great option for left over chicken. 

Chicken Fried Rice

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 4

• 2 T butter
• 3 eggs whisked
• 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 c frozen peas
• 4 c cooked and chilled rice
• 5 chicken tenders cooked and diced
• 4 T soy sauce or more to taste
• 2 T teriyaki sauce optional

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet add egg and cook until scrambled. Set aside

Add an additional tablespoon of butter to the skillet add carrots, onions, peas, and garlic. Saute until onions and carrots are soft about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to med-high and add the cold rice. Add cooked chicken, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and stir until combined. Fry for 3-5 minutes add scrambled eggs back in and toss..

Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot!

Arroz Con Pollo (Puerto Rican Rice with Chicken)

Arroz con Pollo used to be my "go-to" whenever we went out for Mexican food. Dad got me hooked on it. I've made arroz con pollo a thousand times. Each recipe has a slight variation and yet somehow they all come out tasting the same.

This was a good recipe. It had enough flavor and seasoning to make it not bland. Sometimes my arroz con pollo turns out mushy and a little gross. Not tonight.

What I didn't do: 

1. It calls for homemade sofrito. I skipped that ingredient somehow, so I just sautéed an onion. I bet this would taste completely different with sofrito.
2. I did not add the optional cilantro. I didn't want to buy an entire bunch of cilantro for 1/4 cup

What made the flavor for this is the Sazon flavor packet. It made it a nice pretty yellow/orange color. I also tossed in a handful of green olives. I like those in my arroz con pollo.

Arroz Con Pollo (Puerto Rican Rice with Chicken)

Recipe from Latin Mom Meals

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 6 drumsticks mix and match with thighs, wings if desired
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano

Rice Ingredients

• ⅓ cup of homemade sofrito
• 2 garlic cloves minced (optional)
• ¼ cup of cilantro chopped (optional)
• 4 oz of tomato sauce
• 1-2 packets of Goya Sazon packet
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tablespoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of adobo optional
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of long grain rice
• 2 ½ cups of chicken broth 

In a large bowl, season your chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Let sit for ten minutes.

Into a large heavy bottom Dutch oven pan, heat your oil over medium high heat. Then add in your chicken. Brown both sides of chicken, about 3-4 minutes per side. Next, add in everything except for the rice and broth. Mix it all together, and allow to cook for about three minutes.

After three minutes, stir in the rice, allow the rice to absorb all of the sauce for about 1-2 minutes before adding in the broth. Stir rice and broth together, allow it to come to a light boil, for about 5-7 minutes.

Once you're able to see the grains of rice just at the surface, you will lower your heat to medium low, COVER your pot, and let it cook for 20-30 minutes.

After 20 minutes, check on your rice, if there is still any liquid or your rice isn't as soft as desired, let it cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Once liquid is absorbed and rice is soft, remove from heat, let it sit for 5 minutes before giving it a GENTLE fluff with a fork, then serve immediately.

Hibachi Chicken

Oh man! This recipe was off the charts delicious. It's an excellent recipe if you have leftover rice. And if you're making rice for another recipe, make extra so you can make this recipe. 

I didn't change a single thing in this recipe. I did, however, only use one pan for the chicken, veggies and then rice. I just couldn't see dirtying another pan. I ended up mixing it ALL together in one big fried rice. So good. 

I'll make this again for sure.

Hibachi Chicken

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 4

For the Chicken:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vegetables:

• 1 cup zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup onion, sliced
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Fried Rice:

• 3 cups cooked white rice (preferably day-old)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir well until smooth and set aside. For best results, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Allow the butter to melt and start to bubble.

Add the chicken pieces to the hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and the remaining butter. Stir to coat the chicken evenly.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken and give it a final stir. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.

In a separate skillet or the same wok after cooking the chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

In the same skillet or wok, push the vegetables to one side and add the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs until fully cooked, then mix them with the vegetables. Add the cooked rice, thawed peas, and carrots to the skillet. Stir well to combine.

Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and butter. Stir to coat the rice evenly. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is heated through. Add the minced garlic and chopped green onions. Stir well and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Beef Fried Rice

I love fried rice. There was a Chinese Restaurant by my house in Redmond and it made the BEST fried rice. I've never found another like it. 

Ordering rice through a Chinese restaurant is always hit or miss with me. Sometimes it lacks flavor. I'd been craving fried rice and didn't want to order it. I figured it couldn't be that hard to make, so I tracked down a recipe. 

This was a solid recipe. I doubled the sauce because I want to make sure it covered the rice. Turns out I didn't need to. The sauce was too much. I had to add more rice. 

If you don't have Dark Soy Sauce you can substitute it with regular soy sauce (low sodium is best) or beef stock. 

Beef Fried Rice

Recipe from My Incredible Recipes

Serves 4

• 2 T dark soy sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 T oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 8 ounces sirloin steak cut into 1/4th inch strips
• 1/2 c small diced onion
• 1 c frozen peas and carrots
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3 c cooked and cooled rice
• thinly sliced scallions for garnish optional

In a small bowl stir together the dark soy, soy, oyster sauce, and sesame oil, set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 1/4th of the oil to the pan and add the beef, sear the steak getting a char on it, cooking it until just done, 3-5 minutes.

Place the beef on a plate and set aside.

Add 1/4th of the oil to the skillet and sauté the onion until softened and starting to brown, 2 minutes.

Add the peas and carrots, until slightly softened for 3 minutes.

Add the cooked veggies to the plate with the beef.

Add 1/4th of the oil to the pan and scramble the egg, stirring occasionally until cooked, about 1 minute, add to the plate with the beef and veggies.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the rice. Let it sit for about 2 minutes to get a slight char, stir it around and add the cooked beef, veggies, and egg back to the pan, stir to combine.

Add the sauce and stir to coat everything.

Continue to cook for about 3 more minutes so everything warms through and the flavors can blend.

Serve immediately with a garnish of optional scallions.

ENJOY!

Au Jus Mushroom Rice

Photo from 
Plain Chicken

It's been a while since I've made a rice dish that wasn't just plain rice. If I make rice pilaf it's usually by opening a box and pouring it's contents into boiling water. 

Rice on the stove never turns out for me. I have a flat top stove and trying to regulate the heat is next to impossible for me, so the rice is usually over done (dry) or under cooked (soggy). Thus, my rice is made in a rice cooker almost all the time. Except when I've bought the Jasmine Frozen Rice from Trader Joe's. That stuff is amazing. 

This recipe was good. When/if I did it again, I'd not use beef stock and just stick to water. The au jous packet gives plenty of beef flavor. The two combined made it a little salty. 

I cooked the mushrooms for about 5 minutes before I put in the rice to cook. I wanted a bit more "char" on my mushrooms. 

Au Jus Mushroom Rice

Recipe from Plain Chicken

Serves 6

• ¼ c butter
• ½ lb sliced mushrooms
• 1½ c long grain rice, uncooked
• 3½ c beef broth
• 2 T dried minced onion
• 1 (1-oz) package au jus gravy mix
• ½ tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and rice. Cook until rice is golden, about 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat too low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

I'm not entirely sure why this recipe leapt off the page to me and yelled TRY ME, but it did and I did. And frankly, I'm sad that I did. 

This was not a good recipe for me. It both had and lacked flavor. I know that sounds weird, but let me try to explain. 

There was flavor there, but it was a vinegar-y flavor. It didn't have that salsa verde flavor I was expecting.

Oddly, that also lent to it not having flavor. I just can't really explain it.

Bottom line, this one was a fail. 

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

Recipe from Lemon Blossom

Serves 8

• 3 – 4 pounds pork butt (or shoulder), cubed
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 – 2 T olive oil
• 1 11-ounces canned tomatillos
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 16-ounces jar salsa verde
• 1 10-ounces can green enchilada sauce
• 1 4-ounces can diced green chile (I use mild)
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• 3 T cornstarch
• 1/4 c water or chicken broth

Season the pork with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium – high heat. Working in batches (to not overcrowd the skillet), add the pork to the skillet and cook until golden brown. Add additional oil, if needed. Transfer the seared pork to the slow cooker.

Add the tomatillos to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the tomatillos to the slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic, salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, oregano, cumin and liquid smoke to the crockpot. Mix to combine.

Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. About an hour before serving, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional hour. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve!

Salsa Verde Chicken with Rice

If you've been a cook for as long as I have, it's easy to imagine a meal and work with what's in your pantry. It wasn't always this easy for me, but I've cooked enough over the last 4 years (630 new recipes total) that I've got the skills needed to "throw" things together. If you know the basics of what makes up a recipe; then you're good to go. 

Tonight I had a chicken breast I had defrosted and didn't really have a recipe I felt like making. So I scanned my pantry. What came out of it is what I'm calling Salsa Verde Chicken. 

I had this jar of Salsa Verde by Herdez. I really have no idea why this is in my pantry to be honest. It's been in there for a couple of months and I've been thinking about what to do with it. I had thought about just getting chips and eating it, but that seemed lame. So instead I thought about adding it to a few other things. 

I thought about a salsa verde cream sauce would be delightful. And thus Salsa Verde Chicken was born. 

Salsa Verde Chicken with Rice

Serves 2 -3 ish

1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 T olive oil

1 c chicken broth

1 c salsa verde

1/2 c c half and half (or heavy whipping cream)

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the chicken and season with salt/pepper or seasoning of choice. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Pour in the chicken broth and salsa verde in to the pan. Stir and bring to a rapid boil.

Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes; until it thickens. Remove from heat and add in the half and half. Stir to combine. Side note; I heat my half and half so it doesn't get shocked and curdle. I don't know that it would, but I didn't want to eat curdled cream sauce. 

Pour over rice and Enjoy. 

Cube Steak Mushroom Casserole

Photo from I Am
Homesteader

Tonight was book club. And when I have the ladies over it's always a good time for me to whip out a casserole recipe. Casserole recipes are hard for me as a single person. It makes too much food and I'm not a leftover person. 

This was a good recipe. It had too much liquid in it, but that could have been me. I didn't read the recipe well enough and didn't have 2 cans of French onion soup or Beef consommé. To make the difference I added 20 oz of veg broth. I feel like that's too much liquid. We had a lot of liquid in the pan. 

I'd also recommend stirring the casserole after the first 30 minutes. There was some rice that was still a little crunchy. 

I added sliced onions too. I sautéed the onions and mushrooms before I put them in the casserole. I'd do that again for sure. 

Bottom line, I'd make this again. As we ate it there was some discussion about how good this would be with potatoes instead of rice. So maybe I'll try that some day. 

Cube Steak Mushroom Casserole

Recipe from I Am Homesteader

Serves 8

• 1 pound cube steak, diced
• 2 c long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) French onion soup
• 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) beef consommé
• 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms, or canned
• ½ c unsalted butter, sliced into pats
• green onions or chives, chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

To the prepared baking dish, add the cube steak, uncooked rice, French onion soup, beef consommé, and mushrooms. Stir to combine.

Top the rice mixture with pats of butter.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and tender.

Fluff the rice and serve garnished with chives or green onion.

Dad's Spanish Rice (160 of 150)

One of the first meals I remember helping dad make was his Spanish Rice. My young 12 year old self knew nothing about cooking and this was my first lesson (that I remember anyhow). 

I distinctly remember dad having me chop the jalapeno and onion. He showed me how to bend my fingers when holding the lines of jalapeno and how to rock the knife. I sucked at it and the jalapeno bits were all over the place. A lot has changed since then. I can chop like a master. 

Since the first Spanish rice lesson, I've had a LOT of Spanish rice. And I can tell you I've NEVER had it like this. Never had burger in my Spanish rice, and never had bacon or mushrooms in it either. No matter, this is the best Spanish Rice. 

I don't remember Dad using Minute Rice, but I used it tonight because I had it and I was trying hard to follow the recipe. 

Dad's Spanish Rice

Recipe from Dad

Serves 4

• 2 c minute rice
• 1 clove garlic, minced (Right...one clove. Try 3)
• 1/3 c bacon drippings
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each)
• 1 8oz can mushrooms, drained (I used fresh mushrooms)
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped fine
• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• Pork Chops

Salt and pepper

Brown pork chops and set aside. 

Brown bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.  

Brown ground beef, onions, jalapeno, mushrooms and garlic in bacon drippings.

 Add minute rice and cook until absorbed, add tomato sauce. 

Add remaining ingredients, including bacon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. 

Nestle in pork chops, cover and bake for 1 hour at 350F or until rice is tender. 

Chicken with Garlic Parmesan Rice (129 of 150)

Chicken and rice casseroles are a way of life in a house where mom and dad worked and had to get dinner on the table relatively quickly. We had all varieties of chicken and rice casseroles. So much so that I kinda told myself I'd avoid chicken and rice casseroles when I was in a position to make my own dinner meals. 

Turns out that I lied to myself. Spanish rice from dad and a mushroom rice/chicken casserole mom used to make are my all time favorites. I repeat them at least a couple times a year. 

When I come across a chicken and rice recipe I'm reluctant to even try it. I think them boring and flavorless. Well, not this one. 

It has very few ingredients, but the star is BY FAR the garlic in this recipe. The wine adds a nice acid to the recipe too. I'd make this again for sure. 

I totally forgot to put the parmesan over the whole thing. In fact, didn't remember until I was shoving the last bite in my mouth. 

Chicken with Garlic Parmesan Rice

Recipe from What's In The Pan

Serves 4

• 1 lb. chicken tenders
• Salt and pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 T olive oil
• ½ c butter, (1 stick)
• 2 T minced garlic
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• ½ c dry white wine, (such as Pinot Grigio)
• 1 ½ c white rice, (uncooked)
• 3 c chicken broth
• ½ c Parmesan cheese, (grated or shredded)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Sauté chicken tenders until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add butter, garlic, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon of salt to the empty skillet and sauté garlic for a couple of minutes on medium heat.

Turn heat to medium high and add white wine. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside 3 tablespoons of pan sauce to use later.

Add uncooked rice to skillet with remaining butter sauce. Stir well – make sure it’s completely covered. Add chicken broth and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir several times while it’s cooking

Sprinkle parmesan over rice then arrange chicken tenders in skillet over rice. Cover, remove from heat then let stand for 5 minutes.

Drizzle reserved 3 tablespoons of pan sauce over chicken tenders when serving and garnish with parsley.

Easy Hibachi Steak and Fried Rice (55 of 150)

Have you ever had a meal that you just cannot forget? I had one back in college at a restaurant with Mom and Dad. I don't remember the restaurant, but I do remember I ordered hibachi steak. It was to die for. It was savory, a little salty and so tender. You'd think I would have found a recipe to make on my own.

I also didn't really know what Hibachi means, so Wikipedia told me this: 

The word hibachi means “fire bowl” and refers to the cylindrical shape of the container, which has an open top and is designed to burn wood or charcoal. Hibachi containers are made out of wood or ceramic and are lined with metal. 

Tonight I made this recipe and it was oh so delicious. It definitely reminded me of the steak I had in college - at least I think it does. I'd make this steak again. The marinade has all the flavors I love and then some. In all transparency, I did not use 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil - that's too much sesame oil for me. I used 1 T and it was perfect. 

As for the fried rice, amazingly delicious. I did not add the peas and carrots cuz I think those are gross in rice. The basmati makes the rice extra special. I'd make this again for sure. 

Easy Hibachi Steak and Fried Rice

Recipe from Hungry Happens

Serves 4

Steak:

• 1½ lbs NY Strip Steak
• 2 T low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
• 2 T sesame oil (or olive oil)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger paste
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T honey (optional)

Fried Rice:

• 6 c cooked + cooled Basmati rice
• 2 T sesame oil (or olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 eggs
• 12 oz bag frozen vegetables, thawed
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 2 T butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger paste
• 1 T sesames seeds

Steak:

Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, Worcestershire and honey in a small bowl.

Slice your steak into small 1½ inch cubes. Transfer to a bag or bowl and toss to coat all. Marinate for at least an hour in your fridge.

Fried Rice:

Heat a griddle or use two pans separately on HIGH for 4 minutes. You want it really HOT. Add the sesame oil, rice, onion and eggs and cook for 3 minutes tossing and mixing with your spatula. Next stir in the vegetables to distribute. Now, mix in the soy sauce, butter, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want a golden brown crust to form on the rice.

Push the rice over to the other side of your griddle and add the steak to the heat. Spread out and cook a few minutes per side.

Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice (Recipe 44 of 150)

My whole life I thought "scampi" had lemon in it and was all about the lemon. I was today's years old to find out "scampi" actually means "shrimp" that is prepared or cooked, usually in garlic and butter. 

Huh. 

This recipe was OFF THE CHARTS delicious. What makes it especially delicious is the garlic. You MUST make sure you use fresh garlic (no jarred garlic for this recipe). The fresh garlic is part and parcel of the total flavor in this recipe. 

Watch your salt on it though. The recipe recommends seasoning throughout. Frankly, it was a little over salted for me. 

Don't skimp on the wine either. Use a wine you'd drink. It reduces nicely and leaves a nice flavor, so use a good wine. 

Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice

Recipe from South Your Mouth

Serves 4

• 1 lb. chicken tenderloins
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 stick butter, divided
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided  - this is a bit too much salt IMHO
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1 1/2 c uncooked white rice
• 3 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese

Season chicken tenders with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté chicken tenders until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet, cover chicken then set aside.

Add butter, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the skillet then sauté garlic for 3 minutes (do not let the garlic burn or become too brown).

Increase skillet temperature to medium-high then add white wine. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to emulsify the wine into the butter. Cook and stir for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Remove and set aside 2 tablespoons of pan sauce to use later.

Add rice to skillet then stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until rice starts to brown just a little. Add chicken broth and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.

Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan then cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir once or twice the first 15 minutes of cooking but not more than that.

Sprinkle parmesan over rice then arrange chicken tenders in skillet over rice. Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of pan sauce over chicken tenders. Cover, remove from heat then let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish dish with more parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Arroz Con Pollo (Rice with Chicken) (10 of 150)

Arroz con pollo is an all time favorite when I go to Mexican restaurants. The problem though is they often cover it with cheese and a tomato type sauce. I like my arroz con pollo without all that. 

This is a Cook's Country recipe. And they rarely disappoint. This one is no different. 

I cut the recipe in half as I usually do. The sofrito really made the flavor for me in this recipe. 

One piece of advice would be to be sure you sauté the rice. Browning the rice is what adds a ton of flavor to this recipe (and any rice dish really). 

Arroz Con Pollo (Rice with Chicken)

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 6

1 c fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped

1 onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 Cubanelle pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (3/4 cup)

5 garlic cloves, chopped coarse

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt and pepper

6 (5- to 7-ounce) bone in chicken thighs, trimmed

1 T vegetable oil

2 c medium-grain rice, rinsed

1 T Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto

2 ½ c chicken broth

¼ c pimento-stuffed green olives, halved

2 bay leaves

½ c frozen peas, thawed (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cilantro, 1/2 cup onion, Cubanelle, garlic, and cumin in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer sofrito to bowl.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken to pot skin side down and cook without moving it until skin is crispy and golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden on second side, 7 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate; discard skin.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add remaining 1/2 cup onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in rice and Sazón and cook until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.

Stir in broth, olives, bay leaves, remaining sofrito, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into pot along with any accumulated juices and bring to vigorous simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Transfer pot to wire rack and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and stir in peas, if using. Discard bay leaves.

Mexican Rice (Recipe 145 of 150)

Mexican rice is one of the recipes I'm forever chasing to find the "perfect" recipe. I've come close and have several recipes I like. This recipe will be added to the list. 

It was flavorful and Damn Delicious (hahah I couldn't resist - that's the name of the blog I got it from). 

So, I didn't add any of the veggies - except the onion, but I don't count that as a vegetable. I'm not a fan of veggies in my Mexican rice. 

Mexican Rice

Recipe from Damned Delicious

Serves 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice until toasted, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce and vegetable broth, and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Stir in corn, carrots, peas, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes. Stir in tomatoes.

Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Green Chile Chicken & Rice (Recipe 123 of 150)

This was a decent recipe. Though I think I messed it up by using Basmati rice instead of long grain. I used what I had in an attempt to clean out the pantry. It wasn't horrible, but Basmati cooks differently. It was still good and super flavorful, and spicy ish. 

I didn't use thighs because, blech...breasts were just fine. This recipe comes together quickly. It's probably best you have your ingredients all set up before you start. It helps move the recipe along.

Green Chile Chicken & Rice

Recipe from Our Best Bites

Serves 4

• 24 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (see notes)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 14 ounces green enchilada sauce - be sure to get enchilada sauce, not SALSA.
• 1 c water
• 1 c long-grain rice
• 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden and crispy on one side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and allow to heat for about a minute. Add the chopped onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for about 1 more minute. Add the enchilada sauce, water, and rice and bring to a boil. Place the chicken, brown side up, on top of the rice. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes to prevent the rice from scorching. When the rice and chicken are cooked through, it’s done. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Serves 4-6.

Jambalaya (Recipe 120 of 150)

I've not made Jambalaya too often. I had all the ingredients except the jalapeno, which meant the old grocery finances were saved a little this week. 

In case you've been under a rock, Jambalaya is a spicy Cajun rice dish. As I write this it's on the stove and my nostrils are almost burning with the smell of spicy in the air. 

Naturally, there are no bell peppers in my Jambalaya, blech. Otherwise I stayed true to this recipe. Well, except I didn't put in 2tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. I did 1.5 and good heavens it was spicy!

Jambalaya

Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Serves 6 (with a side salad and a glass of milk for the spicy)

• 3 T olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced 
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3-4 c chicken stock
• 1 1/2 c uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 T Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stock pot (or a very large, deep sauté pan) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the stock pot. Add bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, cooked chicken and sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.

Add the shrimp and okra, and stir to combine. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Taste season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed. (I typically add about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) Remove from heat.

Steak Burrito Bowl (Recipe 8 of 150)

Photo by Six Sisters
Stuff

Bowls are fun. They put all the goodies in one, compact spot. When/if I go to Qdoba or Chipotle (I prefer Qdoba), I will get a bowl. They're not messy and they have all the goodness a burrito will. 

This bowl was easy to put together, and scrumptious. The left over (I cut my recipes in half you see) was equally as delicious. Although I mistakenly put the pica de gallo in with the meat and rice, so when I warmed it up, the pico also got warmed. That's just wrong. 

I didn't use flank steak. I used a NY steak I had in the freezer (I'm trying to eat through my freezer). I cut it into very small pieces, not strips. If you've been to Qdoba or Chipotle you know how small those meat pieces are? That's the size. For me the crunch is an added flavor and when the meat is smaller, you get more crunchy sides. Jenn logic. 

Ahem - Smaller, bite size pieces of meat means I don't need to cut it while eating. Everything is then about the same size. 

This recipe calls for beef, but I could see doing it with chicken for sure. Give it a shot! 

Steak Burrito Bowl
Recipe from Sixsistersstuff.com

Serves 4

• 2 pounds flank steak
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 c cooked white rice
• 4 c chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 c pico de gallo
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
• 1 lime

Slice steak into 1/4 inch strips.

In a resealable gallon-size ziploc bag, combine steak, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and lime juice.

Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (it tastes better the longer it marinates).

Remove steak from the marinade and pan fry over medium heat until it is cooked all the way through.

In four bowls, evenly distribute the cooked steak, rice, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, black beans, guacamole, and shredded cheese.

Top with cilantro and lime juice.

Arroz con Pollo (Recipe 3 of 150)

This recipe started out good, but I couldn't help myself. I modified it pretty significantly to fit my way of cooking. See, I have an issue with cooking rice on the stove. I can never cook it so it turns out right. It always turns out mushy and gross. 

So to avoid that situation, I cooked the rice in the rice cooker. I put the chicken stock into the rice cooker. I didn't have saffron (which I thought I had), so it didn't feel like it mattered much.

I sautéed the chicken, then the onions. Then I deglazed with the wine and a little chicken stock. I let that cook down quite a bit. I also don't like tomatoes in things. I like canned tomatoes just fine, but not fresh tomatoes in hot dishes (don't ask me why cuz I couldn't tell you). So I put in a half of a can of diced tomatoes without the sauce. 

Once the rice was done, I dropped it and the green olives into the chicken mixture. The result was delicious. 

So you see, while I started with this perfectly find Martha Stewart recipe, I really didn't follow it at all. But since I made up this recipe as I went along, I am counting it. 

Oh and it was fantastic. I'm writing all this down so I can try it again. And in case you like following real recipes, here's the Martha Stewart recipe. I added my changes to the ingredients below.

Arroz con Pollo

Recipe from Martha Stewart

1 c dry white wine

Pinch of saffron

6 chicken thighs (6 ounces each) (I used chicken breast)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 T minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)

1 large tomato, diced (I used 1/2 can diced tomatoes)

2 dried bay leaves (oops, totally forgot these)

4 1/2 c chicken stock, plus more if needed

3 c short-grain rice, preferably Valencia

1 c pimiento-stuffed green olives

Combine wine and saffron; let stand until ready to use. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, and cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato, and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the bay leaves. Cook until wine is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken, stock, rice, and olives; bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. (If rice is not done, add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time.) Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.