Dutch oven chicken and rice is pure comfort food! When the weather turns frightful outside, this is the perfect dish the whole family will love.
“Healthi formerly iTrackbites is an alternative to Weight Watchers. “
Why you should use a dutch oven
Dutch ovens are heavy and bulky and a must-have for every kitchen. A dutch oven allows you to sear and brown your meat before cooking it slowly. It's perfect for making vats of soup. You can make gorgeous bread in it. Preheating it in the oven makes it act like a mini pizza oven. Your family will rave over your homemade bread. Traditionally, dutch ovens are pretty, so you can serve up your masterpieces without having to dirty another dish. Check this out for more reasons you need a dutch oven.
Dutch Oven Cooking
Dutch ovens have the ability to create layers of flavors. In a slow cooker, you throw evertything in at once, set it and forget it. This. is easy and can produce some delicious meals. But if you have the time to sear your meat first, it will taste even better.
It's perfect for braising meat. The lid traps the steam inside, keeping that food you are braising nice and tender as it cooks.
Dishes such as soups, stews, and braised meats are about creating concentrated flavors. For these recipes, it's best to use a flavored liquid, such as a broth, as opposed to water.
Dutch ovens can go right from the stovetop into the oven. This versatility makes cooking a breeze.
Pro-tip. If you are searing your meat and then need to put it aside for a bit, turn the lid upside down and rest the meat there. You will have to wash the lid anyway, so this will save you a dish. to wash.
If you are braising meat, you can put a steamer basket on top with some veggies in it and it will steam them for you. This will also give your veggie a nice flavor profile.
Sides to pair with dutch oven chicken and rice
Our copycat cheddar bay biscuit recipe is a perfect side for this dish. Some steamed broccoli is also great for some extra fiber to help fill you up.
How to lighten up Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice:
This recipe can be very high in points, moderate in points, or low in points, depending on your needs, tastes and points left for the day.
What I like about this recipe is you can decide how to spend our points. If you want to use real peanut butter and spend some points there, you can save some by using chicken breasts. If you love chicken thighs and don't have kids who complain about them, you can pair them with the lighter peanut butter sauce using peanut butter powder. Perhaps you want a spicy dish; prepare it as is. If you are like me and not crazy about the spices, omit the sriracha sauce and half the ginger. So many options, but all of them will produce a delicious dish!
Spicy Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
½ c. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1½ T. rice vinegar
1 T. Sriracha sauce
1 T. fresh ginger, finely minced
1 T. honey, preferably local
2 t. tamari or coconut aminos
1-3 T. very warm water
Remaining Ingredients:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 T. fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium white onion, finely chopped
1 c. Basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed and drained
1 T. tamari or coconut aminos
½ T. five spice powder
1¼ c. chicken broth
1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
If you are looking for an easier way to manage how you are eating, I HIGHLY recommend Healthi formerly iTrackbites. It's a wonderful program and has really helped me to stay on track during these crazy times.
- cost: Healthi formerly iTrackBites costs $36 for the year (using this link for 40% off makes it $36 – use COACH_SMILEY to save!!), WW is $20+ for the month, and it's the same formula and less options
- choices: I can choose PointsPlus, Freestyle, or any other plan I want with Healthi formerly iTrackBites. Even with the new WW changes, they only offer 3 plan options (not PointsPlus).
- logs: You can export your tracker data by the week, month, or quarter with Healthi formerly iTrackBites. WW does not give you access to quarterly data.
- accuracy: I've found inaccurate info in the WW app due to members submitting and not paying attention to the right numbers. With Healthi formerly iTrackBites, I know if I see the green check, it's been verified as accurate. This puts my mind at ease!
Spicy Peanut Sauce with Peanut Butter
BLUE PLAN: 8 Points
GREEN PLAN: 8 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 8 Points
Spicy Peanut Sauce with Peanut Butter Powder
BLUE PLAN: 3 Points
GREEN PLAN: 3 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 3 Points
Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice, as written with bone-in, skin on, chicken thighs
BLUE PLAN: 15 Points
GREEN PLAN: 15 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 15 Points
Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice, as written with bone-in, SKINLESS, chicken thighs
BLUE PLAN: 10 Points
GREEN PLAN: 10 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 10 Points
Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice, with boneless skinless chicken breast
BLUE PLAN: 4 Points
GREEN PLAN: 8 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 4 Points
use chicken breasts, etc
Spicy Peanut Sauce with Peanut Butter Powder
BLUE PLAN: 3 Points
GREEN PLAN: 3 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 3 Points
Print
Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
Spicy Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
½ c. peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1½ T. rice vinegar
1 T. Sriracha sauce
1 T. fresh ginger, finely minced
1 T. honey, preferably local
2 t. tamari or coconut aminos
1-3 T. very warm water
Remaining Ingredients:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 T. fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium white onion, finely chopped
1 c. Basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed and drained
1 T. tamari or coconut aminos
½ T. five spice powder
1¼ c. chicken broth
1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Combine peanut butter, rice vinegar, sriracha sauce, ginger, honey, and tamari in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. If desired, add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until sauce reaches desired consistency. Set aside.
Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook until nicely browned and the chicken releases easily, approximately 7-8 minutes. Turn the chicken thighs and cook for another 4-5 minutes before transferring the chicken to a platter. Set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the Dutch oven, along with the ginger, garlic, and white onion. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and start to turn golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Add the Basmati rice and cook, stirring continually, until “toasted,” approximately 1-2 minutes. Add the tamari, five spice powder, and chicken broth and stir to combine before returning the browned chicken thighs to the pot.
Increase heat to medium-high to bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Remove cover and check the rice for doneness. If necessary, continue cooking a few minutes longer or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
Remove cover and transfer the chicken thighs to individual serving plates. Add the chopped cilantro and fluff the rice mixture with a fork. To serve, divide among the serving plates and top with some of the spicy peanut sauce. Enjoy!