Chicken & Rice with Chipotle

This chicken and rice gets its smoky backbone from dried chipotle peppers torn right into the cooking rice. As the rice absorbs water, it soaks up that deep, smoldering chipotle flavor along with a pinch of turmeric that turns everything golden.

The recipe has a clever heat-control trick built in. Tearing the chipotles into larger pieces means anyone who can’t handle the heat can fish them out of their bowl. Smaller pieces melt into the rice for those who want every grain to carry that smoky burn. Know your audience.

While the rice finishes, the chicken gets cut into big nuggets and fried fast with bell peppers, onion, and garlic until browned. Everything gets combined in the rice pot for the final few minutes, so the flavors marry together. Freshly crushed cumin seeds and herbs stirred in at the end keep the aromatics bright.

Chef Tips

• Crush whole cumin seeds right before adding. Pre-ground cumin has a fraction of the flavor of freshly crushed.
• Brown the chicken properly. A good sear adds flavor that steamed chicken can’t match.
• Cut the bell peppers and onion to fingertip size so they match the chicken nuggets and cook evenly.
• Stir the rice occasionally while the chipotle cooks in it. Chipotles can stick to the bottom and scorch.

Variations

• Use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce instead of dried for a saucier, tangier heat.
• Add black beans and corn during the last few minutes for a Southwestern-style bowl.
• Swap chicken breast for boneless thighs for juicier, more forgiving meat.