Chicken with rice is one of the greatest things in the world. I love it. Having been pleased with the results of a Chicken with Black Beans and Rice recipe from Better Homes and Gardens once, I thought Bittman's Chicken with Rice would be a show-stopper. C'mon...Better Homes and Gardens vs. Bittman's James Beard Foundation and Julia Child Cookbook award winning How to Cook Everything. No brainer, right?
I dredged the chicken pieces in the flour and browned them in oil.
Onions were softened and stirred with garlic, rice and broth.
Chicken, broth and rice were covered and allowed to work their magic.
After the recommended cooking time, the mixture was still wet and required stirring and another half hour of cooking. I'm sure that was because I didn't regulate the temperature properly.
Once everything was finished, it was served and I was quite flummoxed at how disappointing this was. So, so atrociously bland. Bittman fanatics would probably say that I should have heeded his instruction to "adjust the seasonings as necessary" at the end, but c'mon. By then, it was too late to add the tomatoes, beans and corn that made the Better Homes and Gardens recipe so good. Pouring cayenne or chili powder in at the end does no justice but serves only as a band-aid.
What is most disappointing is that I considered skipping this recipe right before I started, thinking it might be bland. My eyes are now open to the fact that I need to trust my gut and palate to know what is going to be good for me and that I can't rely on a recipe in a James Beard Award winning cookbook based solely on the fact that the book has that shiny sticker.
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