Chicken Baked Rice

For the Xmas Party on 29 Dec, I made chicken baked rice. I like this dish for the longest time but I am still trying to perfect it. My first few attempts a few years back was quite dismal, lacking a certain something to make it like the baked rice I eat outside. Anyway, along the way, although I believe I improve upon my own version, I decided it will NEVER taste like what I eat outside :( , so I contented myself with my own version of baked rice hehehe. Fortunately that day, it tasted quite edible lah, hehee :P



Ingredients
Chicken Thighs (my estimate is one thigh per pax for small groups)
Mushrooms (cup mushrooms, button mushrooms or portabello)
Capsicums (I love it colourful, so I used all the 3 colours green, yellow, red)
Shredded Mozarrella cheese

Seasoning
Fresh thyme leaves
Ground black pepper
Italian herbs
Garlic salt

Others
Olive oil
Mushroom pasta sauce (cream coloured one, I forgot the brand)

Steps
- Wash the chicken thighs, de-skin and de-bone it. (keep the bones, throw away skin)
- Scald the bones with boiling water, then pour them into pot of boiling water to make chicken stock to be used later. I boil and simmer for around 2-3 hours.
- Cut the meat into bit size pieces. Marinate with a bit of olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, italian herbs, ground black pepper and garlic salt. put into fridge for at least an hour (I marinate overnight that day)
- Prepare capsicums by removing the seeds and stem. Cut into chunks. Wash and soak in water for a while
- Peel mushrooms and remove stem. Cut into slices.
- When stock is ready, wash rice with tap water and steam rice with the appropriate amount of chicken stock (I used all stock, no water). Add fresh thyme leaves and italian herbs into the rice cooker. Start steaming rice.

When rice is ready.
- Heat some butter in a big saucepan (I did it in a pot for easy stirring later).
- When butter has melted, add in mushrooms and sauteed until turns soft.
- Add in chicken pieces and sear until exterior is brown but interior still raw (seal in juices for baking later).
- Pour in some mushroom pasta sauce. When heating up, add in the right amount of rice and stir.
- Add in capsicums and mix well.
- Can add more salt at this stage if desired but I didn't (the pasta sauce already has salt and the chicken has been marinated in garlic salt). Can add more chicken stock if rice too dry
- Remove from heat and stir in some mozzarella cheese.
- Pour mixture into baking dish. Cover over generously with mozzarella cheese, put into preheated over (around 200 deg) and bake for 20mins or until cheese at the top turns brown.
- Serve piping hot!

I like this dish partly coz can keep in fridge and eat the next day by heating up in oven hehee. :P