One Pot Cilantro Chicken and Rice - Osh Po Lo

Also known as Osh Po Lo, we made this just last week and it was simply fantastic! My man turned me on once again! - Umm in the kitchen of course, he says the original version of the dish originates from Russia - but for now it's yet another original easy to make one-pot dish from us to you.

This is a twist of my "Basmati Rice Oh So Nice" recipe you have seen here. You can substitute the chicken for lamb, pork or beef even sausage! Enjoy!
Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup basmati rice
3 cups water (or make 1 cup of the three chicken broth)
3/4 pound of raw boneless breast of chicken, cut up into 1" sized bites
1 large onion - diced
1 cup carrots - shredded fresh carrots (roughly 4-5 carrots)
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 bunch of large cilantro - rinsed well
4-5 scallions minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
****Equipment Needed:
One Pot with lid, 2 paper towels and hungry crowd

Directions:

In Pot, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and put heat under pan on medium.
Add diced onions and let sweat for at least 5 minutes.
Once onions are almost translucent, add chicken and with wood spatula (preferred) stir chicken around pot till almost cooked and no longer looking pink. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil if you have to.
Add garlic and cook for one minute more.
Add rice (no water yet) and all remaining seasons - leaving some of the scallions and chopped cilantro for plating.
Stir rice well into mixture making sure it is well coated with the olive oil and seasonings.
Cook for two minutes, stirring the whole time.
Next add your water and/or broth. Do not stir!
Let come to a boil, then turn down heat till on very low.
Place lid on top and set time for 10 minutes.
After ten minutes, with a spoon, gently push rice aside and check on water - has all water evaporated? - Then move onto next step. If not, let cook a few minutes moire, till all the water has evaporated.
OK, take those 2 paper towels folding them over in half and place on top of pot, just under lid. Put lid back on pot over paper towels.
This will allow any extra steam to be soaked up by the paper towels.
Let sit for five minutes and call troops to the table.
When ready, fluff mixture with fork.
When serving and plating add the additional cilantro and minced scallions on top of dish and serve. Enjoy with a side mixed green salad!

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