Chicken and Rice Stew

 CHICKEN AND RICE STEW

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

5 carrots, sliced

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (leave out if broth is not low-sodium)

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs 

1 cup short-grain brown rice

3 cups packed fresh spinach (optional)

1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and salt and cook, stirring accasionally, until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
2. Add the broth, chicken, and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, place on a cutting board, and use two forks to shred it.
3. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the spinach, parsley, and lemon juice. If too thick, thin with a little additional broth of water. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper flakes, if needed. Ladle into soup bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan (if desired).
4. To make this dish in a slow cooker, simply combine the oil, car-rots, onion, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, broth, chicken, and rice. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Just before serving, add the spinach, parsley, and lemon juice and more broth if too thick.

From a cookbook from Cecy Wheeler