This is a great week night recipe.  It is fast, healthy and doesn’t take a lot of prep time.  It is also simple to clean up!  For me, it hits a home run!

To make my Easy Peasy Chicken and Rice, you will need:

1 Rotisserie chicken, bones and skin removed, cut into approx. 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, diced; I used a bit of yellow and purple
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil
15 oz. can diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes, diced
3 1/2 cups water (or amount of water the rice package says to use)
1 – 10 oz. package of yellow rice mix with seasonings; I used Ortega Brand, but Mahatma or other brand will work–just be sure to adjust the water according to package directions
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen green peas

If you have a large, covered cast iron baker or enameled cast iron baker, use it, and you will have a one pot meal.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat.  Once the onion begins to soften, add the garlic.  Cook until the onion is translucent.  Remove from heat.

Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaf, rice and 2-inch pieces of chicken.  Cook, covered for 30 minutes in the oven or until rice is tender.

Remove from the oven and add the peas.  Mix the peas in with the chicken and rice so they will warm.  Remove bay leaf.

Folks this is amazing.  At my house the after dinner question, for my test recipes as well as new recipes, is, “Is this recipe a keeper?”  My hubby was quick to tell me to keep this one!

This recipe could easily feed 4 people, maybe 6 people if you add a vegetable or salad.  It is a pretty healthy recipe.  It is not too garlic-y or too tomato-y.  It is flavorful without one flavor over powering the others.  I hope you try it and like it!

Bonus Information:  I keep a bag of frozen peas in the freezer.  A handful of peas added to soups, casseroles, rice and roasted vegetable dishes is a way to add a bright color and buttery flavor.