Stewed Chicken and Rice

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Add plain rice (not rinsed) to a dry sauté pan over medium-high heat, and dry-roast, stirring slowly and continuously until the rice turns golden and becomes quite fragrant, about 15 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Remove the rice from the heat, and let cool. Once it is cool, add the rice to a food processor, and pulse repeatedly until the rice breaks up into smaller kernels.

3. Step 3

   In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter until melted. Sweat the minced onion in the mixed fats until translucent and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Step 4

   Add the ground, toasted rice to the pot, and stir so that the onion coats the rice. Add in chicken stock to cover, and heat, stirring frequently until the rice is cooked through. You may need to add more chicken stock during the cooking process, but you want the finished product to be sticky, rather than soupy, rice.

5. Step 5

   While your rice is cooking, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a slick of grapeseed or canola oil in a Dutch oven, and sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is golden brown.

6. Step 6

   Remove the chicken from the pot, and pour off any excess fat. Return the chicken to the pot, and just cover with chicken stock. The chicken should peek out from the stock — like (as my wife says) crocodiles at the surface of a swamp.

7. Step 7

   Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid, and braise over low-medium heat until the thighs are tender, about 35 minutes.

8. To Serve

   1. Step 8

      Stir rice into the pot with the chicken and chicken stock until heated through. Add the meatballs until heated through.

   2. Step 9

      Fold in spinach, until just wilted. Season to taste.

   3. Step 10

      Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish, with the crispy-chicken-skin condiment.