The COVID quarantine turned many of us into modern versions of chuckwagon cooks — every night we cobbled together dinner with whatever we had on hand. When I needed a side dish that required minimal effort after another grueling day of sitting with the poodles and watching classic movies on TCM, I turned to this easy rice and pea recipe from Skinnytaste.com.
Just 5 ingredients bake together in one pot for 45 minutes. That’s it. This versatile side dish can be served with your favorite protein. My guess is that you’ll continue to rely on baked rice and peas even after our current pandemic crisis has passed. This one’s a keeper.
1 cup uncooked white rice 1 (14.5 oz) can low sodium chicken broth 1 tsp. butter 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 5 oz (1/2 of a 10-oz.package) frozen peas
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes. Bake 45 minutes (do not open and do not stir rice). When 45 minutes is up, remove from oven and allow to sit, covered, for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice. After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.
Makes 3 3/4 cups
Serves 4