- 2.5 c. water, divided
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp. salted butter
- 3-4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (no larger than 8 oz. each)
- 1.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
- 1.25 c. white jasmine or basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed (be careful about substitutions, see TIP A below)
- 1-2 medium chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tbsp. adobo sauce
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 3/4 tsp. granulated garlic (coarse garlic powder)
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 batch Easy Citrus Simmered Black Beans (click for recipe)
- grated cotija cheese and/or fresh cilantro to finish (optional)
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Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and keep simmering until ready to use.
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In a dutch oven, braising pan, or large, oven-safe sauté pan with tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts completely. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper over both sides of the chicken breasts and gently place them in the pan in a single layer. Cover (to prevent splattering) and cook the chicken breasts on each side for 3-4 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Reduce heat beneath pan to low.
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In the same pan that you used to brown the chicken, add the rice and chopped chiles plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce. Stir to combine and let cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add 2 cups of the boiling water (reserve remaining off the heat), lime zest and juice, granulated garlic, and remaining salt (3/4 teaspoon) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Stir briefly to combine.
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Bring rice mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat (1-2 minutes). Then nestle the browned chicken breasts in the rice so that they are evenly spaced around the pan and touching the bottom. Cover the pan and put it in a pre-heated 350° oven to bake for 30-35 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through.
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Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and cut or pull them apart them into rough chunks. Spoon the rice into four medium-size bowls. Add a heaping spoonful of Citrus Simmered Black Beans to each bowl. Top the beans and rice with pieces of chicken and avocado slices. Finish with a sprinkle of cotija cheese and/or fresh cilantro if desired.
TIP A: Because the rice and chicken cook together in the same pan, it's important to choose a rice (or grain) variety that has at least a 1.5:1 recommended liquid-to-grain cooking ratio and a cook time of around 20 minutes (give or take 5 minutes). White jasmine, basmati, or jasmati rice work perfectly every time. You could also give quinoa a try. These are my recommended varieties. Brown rice often takes too long too cook and will not yield optimal results. Similarly, any quick-cooking rice or grain varieties are not recommended either.