Chicken, Pepper and Cumin Rice Skillet

Use the Small Fridge Well

3 skillet portions · Active 15 min · Total 55 min

Chicken, pepper and cumin rice cook in one covered skillet, giving a compact kitchen a complete meal without several burners. The rice goes in dry and absorbs measured stock. Keep the lid on while it simmers so the grains have enough steam to become tender.

Jump to ingredients

Chicken, pepper and cumin rice skillet.

Use a pan with a dependable lid

A wide skillet needs a tight lid for this method. If steam escapes freely, the stock can disappear before the rice cooks. Brown the chicken lightly first, but do not expect it to be cooked through at that point. It finishes with the rice. A level layer of grains and liquid gives more even results than rice piled in one corner.

Check both the chicken and the rice

At the end, test the thickest chicken piece for 165°F/74°C and taste a grain of rice. If the rice is still firm, add 2 tablespoons hot water, cover and cook gently a few minutes longer. Do not turn up the heat to force it along; that scorches the bottom. The five-minute covered rest finishes hydration and makes the rice easier to fluff. Use only an approved, stable cooking appliance with ventilation appropriate to the vehicle or site.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 1-inch pieces (340 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 medium onion, diced (150 g)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (150 g)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (185 g)
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock (420 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (8 g)
  • 2 tablespoons drinking-quality water (30 ml), heated and reserved only for adjustment if needed

Set out

12-inch deep skillet with tight lid, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

No major US allergen identified in the base ingredients. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken for 4 minutes, turning to brown lightly. Add onion and pepper; cook 4 minutes.
  2. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt and dry rice for 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a boil.
  3. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15–18 minutes, or the rice packet’s longer required time, until the rice is tender and the thickest chicken pieces reach 165°F/74°C. If the pan becomes dry before the rice is tender, add the listed 2 tablespoons hot reserve water, cover and continue gently; both endpoints control.
  4. Remove from heat and stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently, stir in lemon and scatter parsley.

Level the cooking surface

Park and stabilize the cooking setup before beginning. A tilted skillet leaves dry rice uphill and excess liquid downhill, making even cooking difficult.

Timing

Allow about 55 minutes including preparation, two browning/softening stages, bringing the stock to a boil, up to 18 minutes for the rice and a 5-minute covered rest. A packet requiring longer cooking extends that time.

A useful detail

Use standard long-grain white rice, not brown or instant rice, which need different liquid and timing.

Another way

  • Use green bell pepper instead of red for a less sweet flavor.
  • Replace parsley with chopped cilantro and lemon with lime.

Keep it well

For freshly cooked rice, divide promptly into shallow portions and cool and refrigerate as quickly as possible, ideally within 1 hour of its original cooking. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below and eat within 24 hours of the original cooking. Reheat only once to 165°F/74°C throughout, eat promptly and discard reheated remains. Discard food left beyond 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. If reliable refrigeration is unavailable, cook only what will be eaten immediately.

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