Recipe: Creole Chicken Pilaf (using chicken breasts)

CREOLE CHICKEN PILAF

"The pilaf below combines flavorful ham with chicken - a common partnership in the food of Southern Louisiana and elsewhere."

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup diced ham*
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 1/4 cups water
1 (14 or 15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes**
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces total), cut into thin strips

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until it begins to soften.

Add garlic and ham and cook until ham begins to brown.

Add thyme, salt, pepper, rice, and 1 1/4 cups water. Stir once, then bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.***

Add tomatoes and chicken to the pot, stir gently and briefly, cover and cook 5 minutes more. Turn off heat, and let stand 5 minutes.

Serve on plates or platter.

SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve with green beans, or green vegetable or salad of choice. Pass hot red pepper sauce if desired.

*Some meat departments sell ham cut in cubes, or you can go to the deli department and order 3 or so ounces of sliced ham and cut it up yourself, or use bits of leftover ham or even country ham.

**We add tomatoes to the mix, but you could just as easily add salsa or picante sauce, or tomatoes packed with green chilies.

***Remember that acidic foods impede the cooking of starch. That's why your beans don't soften in soups with tomatoes. That's why we cook the rice with water for a while before we add tomatoes. Don't stir the rice too much. The more you stir, the mushier it becomes.

Makes 4 servings
Source: The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY