Chicken Thighs with Asparagus and Mushroom Rice 

You can find a printable version of this recipe here on Whisk

I wouldn't say I'm a lazy cook, but I'm definitely in favor of only having one dish to wash at the end of a cooking session. If I can fit everything into one pot to cook together without compromising the taste of the overall dish, let's do it. 

This dish does just that. The combination of the asparagus and mushrooms in the rice paired with chicken thighs makes this a perfect summer dish. I hope you enjoy it.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and drop 1 bouillon cube into 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve. 

I start by washing my rice. I fill up a bowl and rinse until the water runs clear. This removes all of the starch that coats the rice. I do not recommend skipping this step. Your rice might not cook well if you do.

While my rice is draining, I wash and cut my asparagus and mushrooms. I like to cut the asparagus into thirds and slice the mushrooms. I also think the mushrooms would incorporate well into the dish diced. (Hint if you have picky eaters.)

Once all the veggies are chopped, I move on to the chicken.

I place my chicken thighs on a paper towel to pat them dry. I also heat up my cast-iron skillet over medium heat at this time and add my cooking oil once the pan is hot enough.

I season both sides of the chicken with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Into the pan, it goes after that. I like to get both sides nice and brown. Usually about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Once they are brown, I remove them and set them aside. 

I put my mushrooms into the pan to be sauteed a bit in the seasoned oil.

Then I add my asparagus pieces and stir until mixed well with the mushrooms. 

I add my rice to the skillet when both ingredients are coated well in the oil. I let the rice cook with the asparagus and mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until the rice starts to get a little brown on the edges. 

While the rice is browning, I stir the water I had the bouillon cube in to make sure it is fully dissolved. 

Then I pour the 2 cups of water into the skillet to cover the asparagus, mushrooms, and rice. 

I allow the skillet to get to a rolling boil. I cover it with the lid and place it into the oven once it does. 

The dish will cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. 

I remove the skillet from the oven and serve it while it's hot. Crescent rolls go well with this dish, but I'm sure it pairs well with a few other options.