Italian Chicken and Rice

The finished product!

I was needing something that was different from the normal Chicken and Rice dish, but without all of the crazy preparation that goes with it. So I came up with this simple, yet filling Italian Chicken and Rice dish to satisfy my craving of making something different. This recipe was a hit with almost everyone, except my youngest- who is not the craziest about rice in general. I used fresh ingredients with some store brand Minute Rice ( which is gluten free and costs less than buying the national brand) and chicken to make this outstanding dish. Serve this up with a tossed salad to complete the meal. Here is the recipe!




 Italian Chicken and Rice

3 Carrots- Washed, peeled and sliced into coins
3 Stalks Celery- Finely diced
1 Bunch Green Onion- both green and white parts diced
3 cloves Garlic- Minced
1/2 Green Pepper- Diced
2 handfuls Green Beans
8 Chicken Breast Tenders- Diced
2 Cups Minute Rice
1 cup homemade Italian Dressing ( instructions below)
3 cups Chicken Stock or  Broth
Splash of Olive Oil
2 oz Feta Cheese ( at the end)- If dairy free, omit cheese!

Italian Dressing

1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 Cup Water
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic ( 4 small cloves)
4 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Pour ingredients into dressing and put in a clean glass jar. Shake well.

Directions:

Add Olive Oil to your pot or pan ( whichever you prefer to cook with) and turn heat to around 8 on your stove. Add veggies and saute until softened. This should take around 5-6 minutes.

While veggies are cooking, dice your chicken to bite sized. I do this to shorten cooking time. Add chicken to veggies along with half of the chicken stock. Allow to cook for about seven minutes or until no longer pink.

Next add your rice, remaining stock and Italian Dressing. Stir well and cover. Allow to boil, then turn heat down to simmer. Let mixture simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is cooked all the way through.

Add Feta and stir. Serve this dish immediately with a tossed salad! Serves 4-6 people!

A Little About This Blog and Us, the Bloggers!!

Hey everyone, this is Sarah and Rie and we are the chefs du jour at My Adventures in Gluten Free Cooking! We decided to start this blog, because cooking gluten free can become extremely expensive and we wanted to show the world that you can actually eat healthy, without breaking the bank. Those who are new to gluten free eating and seasoned cooks will find our recipes and money saving tips helpful. Rie and I have been friends since elementary school....Boy, that was forever ago! Here is a little bio about each of us and we hope that you find our blog useful and bon appetite!

Sarah- I am a 31 year old mama of three beautiful children- ages 7, 5 and 4! We live with my awesome hubby in beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. My entire house for the most part, went gluten free in 2009, in the beginning due to Autism in our younger two and me being sensitive to all the gluteny goodies out there ( hubsters still eats stuff with gluten in it)! In the beginning, our average grocery bill went up dramatically, which was a culture shock for all of us! However, being the frugal fanatic that I am, we learned how to make great tasting, healthy meals for a fraction of the cost. This took many months of perfecting my gluten free cooking skills and finding the best deals on the basics.

Rie- I'm a 32 year old with a wonderful little girl age 11...ok so not such a little girl anymore! She lives with her father in California, and I live and work in one of our nation's wonders..Yellowstone National Park. I started learning about Gluten Free living a year and a half ago when I started having some issues that may well be Crohns Disease or UC....while I am not living GF right now, due to my living situation, I do still try to eat healthy and save my pennies for the day I have my own kitchen again. Dorm living with any sort of food restrictions can be a pain and I'm here to point out some tips for eating healthy in even the hardest situations!