Tender, marinated chicken thighs filled with rice, carrots and onions. A one-pot meal that will go nicely with any salad at any time of the year, especially holidays.
3teaspoonssalt or to test, 1/4 tsp salt per thigh+1/2 tsp rice seasoning
1teaspoonground pepper or to taste, 1/8 tsp pepper per thigh+2 pinch for rice
grapeseed oil to sauté onions & carrots
water to cook rice
Instructions
Wash and paper towel pat try 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cut out any excess skins or fatty spots or anything you don’t like to have in your chicken. Lay 1st chicken thigh flat onto a cutting board, spread 1/2 tbsp mayo to cover the thigh and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste OR about 1/8 tsp salt and 1/16 tsp ground pepper. Flip chicken thigh to the other side, and again spread 1/2 tbsp mayo and sprinkle with salt and pepper (1/8 tsp salt and 1/16 tsp ground pepper). Transfer to a bowl and repeat for the remaining 5 chicken thighs. Cover bowl with plastic food wrap and refrigerate to marinate seasoned chicken thighs for at least 8 hours OR I prefer overnight.
NEXT DAY Or 8 HRS LATER: Preheat a skillet on medium heat with enough oil to cover the bottom. Finely chop 1 large onion and add into pre-heated skillet. Meanwhile, peel and rinse 3 large carrots. Grate 2 of them onto a small hole. When onions become translucent and gold-ish color, add in grated carrots and continue saute for about 2-3 mins; remove from heat and set aside when done.
In a small saucepan, bring enough water to cover the rice to boil. Rinse 1/2 cup uncooked rice in cold water and place it into boiled water; bring back to boil and lower to low heat until rice is soft but not mushy (about 8-10 mins). Strain cooked rice into a sifter or colander and rinse with cold water; transfer back into the saucepan. Stir in sautéed onions and carrots into rice. Season with 1-2 pinch of pepper and 1/2 tsp salt and stir again; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Take out marinated chicken thighs from refrigerator. Place 1 chicken thigh onto a cutting board inside out, add about 2 tbsps of rice mixture in the middle of chicken thigh, gather thigh sides together to close from rice falling out and place into a baking dish with the thigh seam on the bottom. Repeat the same with remaining 5 chicken thighs. You will have remaining rice mixture. Spread the rice in empty spaces in the baking dish. Now using a Julienne Grater, grate 1 remaining large carrot and spread it over the top of ready-for-the-oven chicken thighs for that extra seasoning. (If you don’t have a Julienne Grater, you can certainly use Benriner Mandolin with medium blade inserted or any similar slicer to make the similar finished look in your dish, but I just LOVE those long carrot pieces from Julienne Grater – looks so festive!). Cover thighs with foil and place the baking dish into the oven. Bring to boil (usually takes about 20 minutes to see little bubbles on the bottom of baking dish). Then bake for 1 hour. When you have 15 minutes remaining, remove foil to get a bit of gold-ish, crispy top of your dish. Serve fresh or refrigerate leftovers when cooled and heat the next day to continue enjoying these!!