Nana’s Epic Chicken and Rice

Directions

1. 1
   Set a large 7-8 quart dutch oven on the stovetop, over medium heat.
2. 2
   Add the oil. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces liberally. Then place them skin-side-down in the pot. Brown the chicken on both sides, until the skin is crisp, 8-10 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. *If using a combination of bone-in and boneless chicken, brown the bone-in pieces for 5-6 minutes before adding the boneless chicken. Cook another 2 minutes.
3. 3
   Add the onions to the pan drippings. Sauté for 3 minutes. Then stir in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté another 3-5 minutes to soften.
4. 4
   Stir in the rice, thyme, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 6 cups water. (Reserve the parsley for the end.) Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Then set the chicken pieces on top of the rice.
5. 5
   Cover the pot with a heavy lid and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. There should be pores at the top of the rice and no liquid is present.
6. 6
   Remove the chicken pieces. Discard the chicken bones and skins. Shred (or chop) the chicken meat into bite-size pieces. Stir the parsley and shredded chicken back into the rice.
7. 7
   Serve warm.