Observe: I’ve bumped up the quantity of broth primarily based on feedback from individuals who discovered their rice undercooked.
Warmth a big sauté pan, ideally one with a lid, over medium-high warmth for one minute. As soon as the pan could be very sizzling, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, and warmth them collectively for an additional full minute. Organize hen pores and skin facet down and prepare dinner till deeply brown beneath, about 4 to five minutes. [Don’t crowd the chicken; depending on the size of your pan, you might need to do this in two batches.] Whereas it browns, season what’s now the highest facet with further salt and pepper. As soon as browned, flip the items over and brown on the second facet, about one other 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t skimp on the colour, please. Switch the hen to a plate.
Put together the buttered onions: Go away the pan on medium-high and add 2 tablespoons butter to fats and juices in it. As soon as melted, add the onions and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Prepare dinner the onions for about quarter-hour whole, or till golden all through and darker brown on the edges, stirring each couple minutes. To start with, the onions are watery; as soon as the water has cooked off and the onions start to select up shade, I cut back the warmth to medium for the remaining time. Rigorously style and season with extra salt, if desired, and plenty of freshly floor black pepper. Take away 1/3 cup of onions and put aside till the top.
End the hen and rice: Add thyme and dried rice and prepare dinner with the onions for 1 minute. Add the wine, if utilizing, and prepare dinner till it disappears, about 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the pan sides, pushing any dried rice and onions again to the underside. Return the hen thighs to the pan pores and skin facet up, spacing them out. Rigorously pour 2 cups (up to date quantity) of the broth round hen. Carry the pan to a simmer then cut back to the bottom simmer and canopy. Prepare dinner rice and hen collectively for 25 minutes, or till rice is tender. If rice shouldn’t be tender at 25 minutes, add remaining 1/4 cup broth and return to the warmth for an additional 5 to 10 minute4s.
To complete and serve: Off warmth, relaxation the dish for five to 10 minutes earlier than serving. Scatter with reserved buttered onions and scoop it onto plates.
Do forward: This retains so properly. I reheat it lined in an oven-safe dish at 350 levels for 15 to half-hour, till the hen is heat. To freeze, properly, I’m simply going to say it: I’ll pack it ingloriously in a freezer bag and press out the additional air. Defrost within the fridge for a day, you probably have time, then rewarm as written above.
Notes/anticipated questions:
- Can I take advantage of completely different bone-in, skin-on hen elements? Sure. Bigger hen breasts can take longer to prepare dinner. Search for ones on the smaller facet (8 ounces). In the event that they’re bigger, I’ll generally cut up them in half in order that they prepare dinner by means of by the point the rice is finished.
- Can I take advantage of boneless, skinless hen cutlets? Sure. I’d use thighs since they’re much less more likely to dry out, and although it gained’t be as fairly, I’d in all probability skip browning them so that they don’t overcook by the point the rice is finished.
- What can I take advantage of as an alternative of wine? I’d use 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
- Can I make hen rice with buttered onions with out butter? Sure, olive oil or one other fats will work nice, however in fact a key a part of the flavour can be completely different.
- How do I make this much more buttery? When the hen and rice are completed however haven’t rested but, dot the dish with 1 to 2 further tablespoons butter, reduce into small bits, then change the lid and let it relaxation for the 5 to 10 minutes recommended.
- A greater than bouillon focus hack: The most effective hen broth is selfmade. My second favourite comes from Higher Than Bouillon. The jar directions are so as to add 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of sizzling water earlier than utilizing it however I’m lazy and add the focus on to aromatics within the pan — right here, together with the thyme and dried rice — and prepare dinner it in for a minute to distribute the blob of focus. Then I add measured water when the recipe requires broth.
- Observe: The thyme contained in the dish is for taste; the thyme on prime is for aesthetics on a really brown dish.