Rice tray bake with chicken

Indulge in a flavorful and budget-friendly culinary adventure with the Rice Tray Bake with Chicken, a delectable dish that effortlessly combines Thai influences to transform chicken thigh fillets, veggies, and rice into a family-friendly dinner that is sure to please. Easily replicated at home, this tray bake captures the essence of Thai flavors and promises a delightful culinary experience.

The star of this dish is the generously-sized chicken thigh cutlets, adorned with their skin and meticulously trimmed. These are coated in a vibrant Thai red curry paste, infusing the chicken with a medley of aromatic and spicy notes. The preparation involves rubbing the paste thoroughly over the chicken, ensuring each piece is generously seasoned.

The cooking process begins with the charring of lime slices, adding a zesty and smoky dimension to the dish. The chicken is then seared in a roasting pan, skin-side down, achieving a rich and enticing brown color. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, a flavorful base is created with finely chopped brown onion, crushed garlic, fresh ginger, lemongrass, and diced carrot. The rice is introduced to this aromatic mixture, ensuring each grain is coated in the fragrant medley.

Bringing the dish together, the chicken is placed atop the rice, covered tightly with foil, and baked to perfection. This process allows the flavors to meld and the rice to absorb the rich chicken stock. In the final stages, the foil is removed, and additional elements like green beans, baby corn, lime slices, fish sauce, and lime juice are incorporated into the rice, infusing it with a vibrant array of textures and tastes.

The finishing touches include garnishes of green onion, sliced long red chili, chopped roasted peanuts, and fresh mint leaves. These elements not only enhance the visual appeal of the dish but also contribute to the overall sensory experience, providing a satisfying crunch, subtle heat, and refreshing herbal notes.

In summary, the Rice Tray Bake with Chicken exemplifies a perfect harmony of Thai flavors and straightforward preparation, making it an ideal choice for a family dinner. The combination of succulent chicken, fragrant rice, and vibrant vegetables creates a delightful and wholesome meal that celebrates the art of Thai-inspired home cooking.

Ingredients

Directions to make Rice tray bake with chicken

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Place chicken and curry paste in a bowl. Rub paste all over chicken.
2. Heat half the oil in a heavy-based flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Cook lime for 1 minute each side or until charred. Transfer to a plate. Add chicken to pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3 minutes each side or until well browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Wipe pan clean. Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat. Add brown onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add rice. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until rice is coated in mixture. Add stock. Bring to the boil.
4. Place chicken on top of rice mixture. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Move chicken to one side. Fluff rice with a fork. Add beans, corn, lime slices, fish sauce and lime juice to rice. Stir to combine. Arrange chicken over rice. Bake, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is browned and cooked through. Top with green onion, chilli, peanuts and mint. Serve.

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