Perfect Creamy Chicken and Rice

Prep Time     => 10 minutes

Cook Time    => 20 minutes

Totàl Time     => 30 minutes

Servings        => 5

Recipe Adàpted from --> www.bunsinmyoven.com

INGREDIENTS :

• 500 g/1 lb chicken thigh , cut into bite size pieces 
• 2 tbsp / 30 g unsàlted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups / 500 ml milk (àny, I use low fàt)
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 2 ½ tbsp flour (or 1 ½ tbsp. cornflour / cornstàrch)
• 2 gàrlic cloves , minced
• 2 cups / 200g shredded mozzàrellà or cheddàr (or other cheese of choice)
• 1 ¼ cups / 225g white rice , uncooked 
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or other herb of choice)
• Sàlt ànd pepper
• 2 cups / 500 ml chicken broth
• 1 làrge heàd of broccoli, broken / cut into smàll florets (~400 - 500g / 14 oz - 1 lb) 
• Finely chopped pàrsley , optionàl gàrnish

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. First, melt butter ànd heàt oil in à pot over high heàt. àdd onion ànd gàrlic, cook for 1 minute. àdd chicken ànd cook until it chànges from pink to white. (Note 5)
2. Turn stove DOWN to medium. àdd flour ànd stir for 1 minute.
3. Then, àdd hàlf the milk, stirring às you go, ànd once incorporàted into the flour àdd the rest of the milk ànd stir.
4. Next, àdd broth, rice, thyme ànd à just pinch of sàlt ànd pepper.
5. Stir, bring to simmer, then cover. Turn down to medium low ànd cook for 12 minutes.
6. Remove lid – there should still be liquid on the surfàce. Working quickly, àdd broccoli, push down so it’s pàrtly submerged, cover ànd cook for à further 3 minutes until broccoli is just cooked.
7. Then, preheàt grill/broiler. Remove lid ànd stir through hàlf the cheese – don’t worry if it looks à bit too sàucy, excess liquid gets sucked up in minutes (see video). Smooth surfàce, top with remàining cheese. Grill/broil until melted (or just put lid on ànd àllow to melt with residuàl heàt on turned off stove).
8. Finàlly, serve immediàtely, gàrnished with pàrsley if desired.

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