Effortless One-Pan Cajun Rice

Effortless One-Pan Cajun Rice

from africanbites.com
50 min

Cajun rice - A one-pan meal filled with Cajun flavors that comes together in a mix of fragrant rice and perfectly browned meat. This recipe may look simple at first glance but, trust me, there’s more to it than meets the eye. It’s a super easy recipe you can make without the need for any exotic spices or flashy cooking methods.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (370g) uncooked long-grain rice
  • 3 ½ cup (829.5g) water or broth
  • 2-3 pieces bacon, (chopped)
  • 1 medium onion, (diced)
  • 3-4 teaspoons (15g-20g) garlic, (minced)
  • 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme
  • 2 pieces bay leaf
  • ½ pound (226.8g) chicken liver, (chopped)
  • 1 pound (453.59) ground beef
  • 1 green small bell pepper, (chopped)
  • 1 stick celery, (chopped (about 1/4 cup))
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups (360ml-480ml) beef stock
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) Creole seasoning (or more to taste)
  • 3-4 pieces green onion scallions, (chopped)
  • ½ - 1 cup (125ml-250ml) chicken or beef broth
  • 1-2 tablespoons (4g) parsley, (chopped)
  • pepper flakes or hot sauce (to taste)

Directions

  1. 1

    Rinse rice well and transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid.

  2. 2

    Add beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let it cook for 18 minutes. Set aside.

  3. 3

    In a large, heavy sauté pan, sauté chopped bacon until cooked, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

  4. 4

    Then add 2 tablespoons of the oil or more oil to the bacon pan.

  5. 5

    Throw in the onions, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic, sauté for about 2-3 minutes.

  6. 6

    Add the chicken liver and ground beef, Creole seasoning, and cook, stirring, for about 5-7 minutes.

  7. 7

    Add bell peppers, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour in about 1 1/2 cup stock. 

  8. 8

    Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

  9. 9

    Finally, add the rice, mix thoroughly. Cook until the rice is heated through, about 5-7 minutes. If needed, add more stock, to prevent any burns. Do not overcook the rice. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaf.

  10. 10

    Stir in the cooked bacon, and green onions. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

  11. 11

    Serve warm with pepper flakes for heat seekers and/or hot sauce. Enjoy!