Recipe: Lemon Chicken Pilaf for One

Lemon Chicken Pilaf for One
From: Bill Hilbrich
Newsgroup: alt.cooking-chat
Date: 7-22-99

One of the immediate challenges of people who are suddenly on their own, either by choice as in my case, or by chance, is learning how to cook a healthy meal. Here is a nice lunch that uses only one pan, and very little work. But first, for the newer cooks in our group here is a short lession about the Pilaf:

*** Pilaf is a cooking concept that can be used to cook a wide variety of foods... The basic idea is to add, a fat, like butter of oil to a pan to lightly coat raw rice grains. Additional food is added to the pan, along with enough liquid to make cooked rice, and it is simmered at a very low heat under a tight fitting cover for about 15 minutes. The pan is then allowed to rest, unheated but covered for an additional 5 minutes. The result is a one dish meal in which the rice has taken on the flavors of the other foods in the dish.

*** Lemon Chicken Pilaf
Makes One Serving

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/3 cup regular uncooked rice
2/3 cup liquid (chicken stock, OR water, OR white wine)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
1 tablespoon butter OR cooking oil

Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan that has a tight fitting lid. Add the uncooked rice to the hot oil and stir until all the grains are coated. Then add everything else, put on the lid, turn the flame down as low as it will go, and leave it alone for 15 minutes. DO NOT PEEK... turn off the heat and let the covered pan sit for another 5 minutes, before serving.

A little salt and pepper may be added to the finished dish, or maybe just a splash of Tabasco sauce. Other vegetables like sliced tomatoes, beans, or even olives can also used to vary the dish.