My mom recently gifted me a cast iron skillet she no longer had use for, and I. Went. To. Town. Searching for recipes all overrrr the dang place that involved a cast iron that you can transfer from stovetop to oven like it's nothing. Yes - I love cooking and it's my #1 life passion and I have never owned a cast iron up until this moment. It just escaped me, ok?! So now I'm trying to make up for lost time. Lots. Of lost time. Here's a delicious, lemony chicken and incredibly flavorful wild rice for those of you that aren't dumb like me and already own a cast iron skillet.
What you'll need:
•1 package chicken thighs (with skin. do it)
•1/2 white onion
•Minced garlic (eyeball this)
•1 cup wild rice
•1.5 cup chicken or beef stock
•3/4 cup water
•Salt and pepper (eyeball this)
•Dried oregano (eyeball this)
•Olive oil and butter (eyeball this)
•Lemon slices
•A few sprigs of fresh thyme (optional, but I highly recommend this)
Preheat the oven to 350. Season the skin sides of the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper, heat the skillet with olive oil and butter (combine them - this allows for the best kind of browned chicken skin!) and sear the chicken SKIN SIDE DOWN for about 7-8 minutes. Do. Not. Flip. Them. Too. Early. Once they no longer stick to the pan, they're ready to flip onto the other side. Once evenly browned, remove from skillet and set aside.
Dice the onion and add into the same skillet for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the rice, stock, water, and dry seasonings, then stir until combined. Now, re-add the chicken on top of the rice, and top with lemon slices and the sprigs of thyme. For added lemon flavor, squeeze a bit of lemon juice all over the skillet. COVER the skillet, then pop into the oven for 35 min.* After this time, remove cover and bake for ~15 more minutes to ensure the rice is ready.
This dish was AMAZING - comfort food without any super heavy creams, cheeses, etc. So many flavors - the lemon and thyme really compliment each other. Happy one-pot cooking!
*Only pop skillet into the oven if it is a cast iron. If it is not, be sure to transfer the ingredients into an oven-safe container prior to putting it into the oven.
