Name: Cheap Budget Chicken Dinners With Rice Under $3 Per Serving
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or drumsticks); 1.5 cups Long-grain white rice, rinsed; 3 cups Chicken broth (made from bouillon for extra savings); 1 cup Frozen peas and carrots; 1 Small yellow onion, diced; 3 Cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp Turmeric (for color and health benefits); 1 tsp Dried oregano; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; Salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 lbs Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or drumsticks)
1.5 cups Long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups Chicken broth (made from bouillon for extra savings)
1 cup Frozen peas and carrots
1 Small yellow onion, diced
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Turmeric (for color and health benefits)
1 tsp Dried oregano
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Start by patting the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Dice your onion and mince the garlic cloves. Rinse the rice under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, which prevents the rice from getting mushy.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot pan. Sear for about 5 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate; it will finish cooking later.
Lower the heat to medium. In the same pan with the chicken drippings, add the diced onion. Sauté for 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic and turmeric, cooking for just 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir for 2 minutes to toast the grains slightly, ensuring they absorb the flavorful fats.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, nestle the chicken pieces back into the rice and liquid. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
Once the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F), stir in the frozen peas and carrots. Cover the pan again for 2 minutes to let the residual heat steam the vegetables. Fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with fresh parsley if you have it, and serve hot.

Cook Time: 35 minutes