Red Rice with Chicken

This hearty, well-seasoned dish is budget friendly as well as delicious.

Makes about 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds chicken pieces of your choosing

¾ to 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning (to taste)

3 large red bell peppers, seeded, cut in strips

1 large onion, cut in strips

8 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon paprika

1 ½ cups long-grain white rice

2 cups (or a little more) chicken broth

2/3 cup cream of tomato soup

1 ½ cups frozen small peas, thawed

1/4 cup parsely, chopped

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with Cajun Seasoning. The 15-minute pre-cook: add the chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, then add bell peppers, onion, garlic and oregano to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Mix in the paprika and rice and stir to coat. Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer until the chicken and rice are tender and the liquids are absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add more broth if the mixture becomes dry during the cooking time. Stir in the peas and parsley and add more Creole Seasoning if desired. Cook until the peas are heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve

NOTE: Since red bell pepper are $1.50 each in my local supermarket, I substitute green bell pepper.

If you choose skinless, boneless chicken pieces, cube them and reduce the pre-cook time from a total of 15 minutes to 5 minutes.