One Pot Chicken Dish over Cheesy Rice

This is an Emeril dish that my friend Cindy & I served recently at a dinner for 50. Don't let the long list of ingredients & directions scare you. It actually comes together easily. We prepped all the veggies in advance & prepared the chicken while the rice was cooking.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Cheesy Rice Pilaf

• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped yellow onion
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1  cup long-grain rice
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  cups  chicken stock or 2  cups  canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup  frozen peas
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 lb fontina (we used fontina) or 1⁄2 lb mozzarella cheese, diced (we used fontina)
• 2  tablespoons  minced parsley, garnish

• Chicken

• 6  slices bacon, roughly chopped
• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips (or use chicken tenders)
• 1  teaspoon  Emeril's Original Essence
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1  cup  finely chopped onion
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 8  ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1  cup  chicken stock or 1  cup  canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup  minced green onion

Directions

1. Cheesy Rice Pilaf:
2. In a heavy, medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.Add the chopped onions and bell peppers and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and stir.
3. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the peas, cover and continue simmering until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the cheese and parsley.
4. Chicken:
5. In an electric skillet or a large heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels.
6. Season the chicken with the Essence, and add to the fat in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.Transfer to a plate.
7. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the onions and pepper and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 5 minutes.
8. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken, lower the heat, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bacon and green onions, and stir well.
9. Remove from the heat and serve over the Cheesy Rice Pilaf.
10. Garnish with parsley.