V's Baked Orange Chicken and Brown Rice
Baked Orange Chicken and Brown Rice
This high-protein, whole-grain dish is easy to throw together. I love using chicken thighs, because they're budget friendly and stay moist while baking with the rice! Try this for your family and see how much they love it!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup brown basmati rice
Zest and juice of 2 navel oranges
Kosher salt
Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown and soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions, chicken broth, rice, 1/4 cup of the orange juice, 2 teaspoons of the orange zest, 1 tablespoon of oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a 2-quart baking dish and stir to combine.
Toss the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Nestle the chicken into the rice mixture. Cover the dish with foil and transfer it to the oven, being careful not to spill.
Bake for 55 minutes. Remove the foil and drizzle the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Continue to bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed, the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender, about 50 minutes more.
Drizzle the chicken with the remaining orange juice. Sprinkle the mint, pine nuts and desired amount of remaining orange zest over the dish and serve.
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