Here’s another great clean-out-the-fridge recipe that’s both nutritious and comforting. Having a lot of various vegetables left over from a recent BBQ, I thought of throwing them all together in a one-pot chicken and rice dish. So without further adieu, here’s the recipe:

Serves 4:

Heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a dutch oven on high heat. While the pot heats, take about 1 lb of boneless and skinless chicken breasts and season them with salt and pepper. Once the pot starts to smoke, toss the chicken breasts in and let cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. While the chicken cooks, chop up about half of a large red onion, a few cloves of garlic (to taste), a handful of baby portabella mushrooms and some ginger (approx a tablespoon’s worth).

Once the chicken is seared on both sides, remove it from the pot and place on a plate to the side. On a low-medium heat, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and toss in the chopped aromatics, mushrooms and half a teaspoon of salt. Once the onions become translucent (approx 8-10 minutes) add in a cup and a half of long-grain rice. Also add a tablespoon of cumin and half a teaspoon of ground red pepper to give the dish additional depth. Mix the rice well with the pot and let it absorb the flavor for about 3 minutes. Pour 3 cups of chicken broth  into the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and let the rice cook for about 10-12 minutes on low heat.

Add the chicken back into the pot, along with a can of chickpeas (rinsed), a cup of chopped tomatoes and 2-3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Let everything cook for another 5-7 minutes while stirring periodically. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.