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As the child of Portuguese immigrants,2011 Food & Wine Best New ChefGeorge Mendes grew up eating all sorts of rice dishes at home. "There was simple tomato rice served with fried fish and then rabbit rice on special occasions and holidays," he says. This cozy chicken and rice recipe draws on those memories. In it, shredded rotisserie chicken, olives, sautéed onions and bell pepper, and crispy rendered soppressata are topped with cooked saffron rice and baked until the rice gets crispy on top to make a comforting dinner.

OCtober 2021

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Credit: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Recipe Summary test

active:
25 mins
total:
1 hr
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium. Stir in rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, saffron, and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook, undisturbed, 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Set aside.

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  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium. Add onion, garlic, and remaining pinch of salt; cook, stirring often, until onion is light golden, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add soppressata; stir well to combine. Cook, stirring often, until soppressata begins to render, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chicken and olives. Top with cooked rice. Carefully stir mixture to combine, and flatten slightly using a spatula.

  • Bake in preheated oven 8 minutes. Stir mixture using a fork. Continue baking until rice is slightly crisped on top and around sides, about 3 minutes. Serve family-style. 

Suggested Pairing 

Robust, peppery Portuguese red: Herdade do Esporão Reserva

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