Fred’s Spicy Chicken on Rice (Mediterranean style)

Hope all of you had a wonderful New Years party. Now it is time to get cooking again!!

This “Mediterranean style” hot spicy chicken served on a bed of tomato flavored rice has been inspired by a similar dish served by Café Mediterranea in Pickerington, Ohio.

Variations: Although I have not personally tried it, I think you could substitute chicken with diced Tofu, hearty mushrooms or eggplant for this recipe

Our daughter Malavika used to wait tables at the restaurant when she was in high school. Our friends Johnny and Karen who ran the restaurant, used to make a fabulous dish called, guess what, “spicy chicken on rice”. I am not exactly sure what seasonings they used, so I am going with my best guess. Hence this recipe is just my own “variation” and not necessarily a replica. I added tomatoes and other veggies to make the dish more wholesome. Check it out.      

Fred’s Spicy Chicken on Rice (Mediterranean style)

Serves: 4

Preparation time: Approx 20 mins

Ingredients:

2          cups grilled chicken cut into bite sized pieces

            Substitute for chicken: 2 Cups of diced Tofu, hearty mushrooms or eggplant

3          Cups cooked rice (long grained or parboiled)

2½       Tablespoons Olive oil

1½       Tablespoons chopped garlic

½         Cup chopped Red onions

¾-1      Cup crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)

2-4       Tablespoons hot sauce (I used about 4 tablespoons)

¼-½     Teaspoon dried Basil

¼         Teaspoon Oregano

1          Teaspoon Cayenne (adjust quantity for desired level of pungency/heat)

2          Roma tomato - cut into small dices

1          Green bell pepper diced

1          Cup of other veggies (grated carrots, cabbage, spinach etc)

½         Teaspoon Greek seasoning (optional):

            Salt

For garnish:  2-3 Ounces crumbled Feta cheese

                        1 tablespoon chopped parsley          

Method:

Step 1: Rice

1.      Heat skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1/3 cup onions and sauté until onion starts browning.

2.      Add 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic and cook for a minute.

3.      Add 3 tablespoons of crushed tomato, a small pinch of Basil, a little oregano and 1.5 tablespoons of hot sauce. Mix well and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

4.      Add cooked rice and stir for 2-3 minutes until the rice is well coated with the spicy mixture. Check seasoning and add salt if needed (the hot sauce usually has salt in it).

5.      Transfer to a rectangular serving dish to make a bed of rice for the spicy chicken.

Step 2: Spicy Chicken  

1.      Reheat skillet, add remaining oil. Add remaining onions and sauté until onion starts to wilt.

2.      Add remaining garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3.      Then add the diced grilled chicken and all the remaining ingredients (except Feta cheese and parsley).

4.      Mix thoroughly and continue cooking on low heat for 6-7 minutes until tomatoes and pepper are tender and the chicken pieces (or tofu) are well coated with the spicy mixture. Note: If you are using eggplant, mushrooms or other veggies, allow sufficient time for them to cook

5.      Pour spicy mixture on top of the prepared bed of rice.

6.      Garnish with crumbled Feta cheese and parsley.

7.      Serve hot.

Note: Greek seasoning usually includes (oregano, dried mint, thyme, basil, marjoram, dried onion, and garlic)

PS: Hopefully you remember who Freddy is from my earlier blog !!