A recipe is more than just a list of instructions. It is a portal to a place, a glimpse into family history, a catalyst for comfort or connection to memory. We intrinsically know it deep in our bones when we crave food that tastes like home.
For me, that dish is chicken and rice — specifically This Chicken and rice. This version is from the Carolina Piedmont region, an area of rolling hills between the Blue Ridge Mountains and sandy foothills that slide into marshes and salt marshes to the east and south. This is in-house variation. perlo, A dish from the South Carolina Lowcountry that often includes shrimp. Chicken Bog From South Carolina PD and the Midlands, featuring chicken and sausage.
My mother learned to cook just over the border in Charlotte, North Carolina, and cooked almost every meal for our family until she entered college. He doesn’t recall knowing of any other versions of the dish when he adapted it as his own in our 1970s kitchen (complete with vintage orange Formica countertops), but his proximity to is a cultural throughline.
Of course, “my” chicken and rice is by no means a new thing (many cultures around the world have variations on the theme), but it’s a dish I often request back home. And if I don’t, it’s what my mom quietly makes one evening and freezes for me to take home and eat when I’m tired, hungry, and world-weary.
This chicken and rice is also the last regular meal I remember sharing with my father at the kitchen table when cancer ravaged his body. This bland, easily digestible dish, with a generous sprinkling of black pepper, was one of those things that “felt good” to him. In short, it feels like a hug, so here’s hoping it brings you and yours some comfort during the dark nights after long days.
Simple variations
While the point of this dish is simple comfort, you can amp up the flavor by starting with just celery and onion and adding more flavor to the water. Garlic, bay leaves, and even star anise can provide a delicious level of flavor, but feel free to experiment with your own flavor combinations.
Chicken dinner
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- 6 Cup The water
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Pound Frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 3 Celery ribsroughly chopped
- 1 medium Yellow onionsliced (approx 1 Cup)
- 1 1/2 Cup Long grain white rice (Traditional is Carolina Gold, but any long grain white rice will work)
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can do Thick cream of chicken soup
- Freshly ground black pepperoptional
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Cook the chicken:
Bring water to a boil in a Dutch oven or large, ovenproof pot over high heat. After the chicken is tender, add the salt and simmer, uncovered, until mostly cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Simple tip!
Save time by preparing the onions and celery while the chicken is cooking. -
Add the vegetables:
Add the celery and onion to the pot, then reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are mostly tender, about 10 minutes more.
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Cook the rice:
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the rice to the pot with the water and vegetables, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, break the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
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Add chicken and soup:
Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir the rice to make sure all the liquid is incorporated. If the rice is fully cooked but looks a little watery, drain the remaining liquid before proceeding.
Add the shredded chicken and soup and stir to combine. Taste, add salt if needed, then smooth the mixture into a smooth layer.
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Cook:
Bake, uncovered, until top is set and lightly golden, about 30 minutes. If you want a crustier top, broil for 2 to 4 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with black pepper if desired and serve.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and freeze well.
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| Nutrition facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 263 | Calories |
| 6 grams | thick |
| 36 grams | Carbohydrates |
| 16 grams | Protein |
| Nutrition facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 to 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 263 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 6 grams | 7% |
| Saturated fat 2 g | 8% |
| 41 mg | 14% |
| 476 mg | 21% |
| 36 grams | 13% |
| Dietary fiber 1 g | 2% |
| Total sugar 2 g | |
| 16 grams | |
| Vitamin C 2 mg | 12% |
| Calcium 30 mg | 2% |
| Iron 1 mg | 7% |
| Potassium 237 mg | 5% |
| *% Daily Value (DV) tells you how much of the nutrients in a serving of food contribute to your daily intake. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using the ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient substitutions are given, the first listed nutrient is counted. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.