Skillet Chicken with Black Beans, Rice and Chiles

by Susan Hanna

This one-pan recipe from NYT Cooking combines chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, tomatoes and rice. Sear the chicken and set aside while you sauté the onions and peppers. Add hot chiles, spices, black beans and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle uncooked rice on top, add boiling stock and return the chicken to the pan. Bake for about 40 minutes and serve with your toppings of choice. Cook’s note: If you have one, use a 12-inch (30-cm) cast iron skillet.

Serves 4.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Imagine organic chicken stock, which is additive-free. Check dried spices for colour and anti-caking agents. Blue Menu black beans are additive-free. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
•  Flaky sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil
• 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
• 2 green or red bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
• 2 ½ cups (625 ml) chicken stock
• 2 red Fresno chiles or jalapeños, halved, seeded and chopped
• 1 (3-inch/7.6-cm) cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce/425-g/443 ml) can black beans, rinsed
• ⅓ pound (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup (250 ml) basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30-cm) ovenproof skillet (the pan size is very important) over medium-high. Brown the chicken on both sides to give it good colour, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and sauté until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Meanwhile, add the Fresno chiles or jalapeños, cinnamon, garlic and cumin to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, then add the black beans and cherry tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer. (It’s important that the black beans are beneath the rice and chicken. The rice will burn otherwise.) Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. The chicken should be lovely and golden, the stock should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and avocado (squeeze some lime juice over the avocados in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper).

From NYT Cooking