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Last updated on November 16th, 2020 at 03:47 pm
I was looking through some of my older recipes and I realized something. I don’t really have like a real homemade recipe. Sure I do have some soups, some curries and all that, but to me those don’t remind me of home. Now, this recipe does. It’s a homemade chicken with rice and mushrooms and it’s one of my favorite meals, ever.
In the spirit of this month’s gluten-free and dairy-free challenge, this chicken recipe is actually gluten-free and dairy-free, even if it’s not the healthiest thing in the world (because – white rice!).
Homemade Chicken And Rice With Mushrooms
I remember, maybe it was last year, me and my sister went to visit my dad, so he can see my nephew, play with him and just be a grandpa.
Well, we came stuffed from some restaurant where they serve sushi, burgers and pizza all at once. So when my dad said: Do you want to eat something? I made chicken with bulgur…”
Everyone said, no thanks, we’re stuffed. He insisted we try what he had made.
We said no again. Then he insisted some more. And we said no again and that went on for a while.
You can probably understand these discussions if you also come from a family where everyone likes food and is stubborn.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and took one for the team. Fineeee, I’ll do it.
I tried what he had made. And I tried it again. And again and again. It was so good. It was like the dish I didn’t know I needed in my life. No burrito, no burger, no 20 ingredients and spices – it was simple and it was so complete.
That chicken with bulgur haunts me till this very day. My dad didn’t make it again in my presence and he doesn’t write down recipes. I tried to copy it, but honestly, I couldn’t.
This recipe comes pretty close, it’s super good, but it’s still not the same. Maybe my dad added a spit or a hair or magic or something else. If the second-best chicken with rice is good enough for you then you should try this recipe.
Making Homemade Chicken And Rice From Scratch
The secret to making the second-best chicken and rice is…well, there are a lot of secrets:
- saute the mushrooms first! It will make them more fragrant and the dish more delicious.
- make sure to saute the onion until translucent! You don’t want the onion to stay firm when you’re eating this! The goal is to cook everything, so that it kinda melts in your mouth and you don’t have to use your teeth to chew (Yes, that’s the same person who wrote this post)
- use or don’t use an eggplant. The eggplant isn’t the star and it doesn’t have a key secret role in here. I just added it, because I had it in my fridge.
- Add black pepper kernels! I don’t know how, but these just make the dish a lot better!
- reduce the heat after bringing it all to a boil. You want to let this simmer and stir from time to time.
- Use water and salt or stock. I used water and had to add salt, but if you’re more prepared than me and like using stock for a deeper flavor – do that!
- Use a little bit more olive oil than usual!
I think these were the secrets. Probably not very secret to experienced cooks, but to me it was very secret.
Hopefully, you like the recipe if you try it! Over here it’s been dark and raining for three days and I think, *I think* I’ll go get some chicken, rice, and mushrooms from somewhere and make this again. Note to self: do not edit recipe pictures when hungry!