Babysitter's Coming Chicken & Rice

If you are lucky, your babysitter is coming because you have a date or plans to go out with friends or the notion to go hang out by yourself.  Or perhaps the babysitter is coming because you have to work late or go to a PTA meeting or its your night to drive sports carpool.  But the bottom line is that you're getting out of the house, leaving the little folks home with a responsible person, and you feel it's a good idea to leave them some food.

Yes, pizza is a nice, easy choice. But every now and then, I attempt to be the good mom and cook for the little folks.  However, I have noticed that when I leave vegetables, they somehow do not get eaten when I'm not around, and that's how this recipe came about.

Babysitter's Coming Chicken & Rice

This is a one pan dish - very little clean-up!  You will need a large pan that will fit the chicken and cooked rice.

Ingredients
Chicken - legs, thighs (boneless or not, your preference) - 8 pieces
Salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder
Olive oil
Saffron or Sazon Seasoning by Goya (1 packet)
Spinach (fresh or frozen) - 2 cups
Rice (the kind that sticks together, not the instant rice) - 3 cups

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder to your taste.
• Heat olive oil in large pan.  Brown chicken lightly on each side.

• Set chicken aside. Drain oil from pan.
• Return chicken to pan and add spinach.

• Pour about 3 cups of rice in the pan. Add saffron seasoning and mix together.

• Pour water on top of all ingredients - about a finger's width above the level of the rice.

• Place lid on top of pan and let cook on low/medium until rice is done, about 30-40 minutes.  If you notice all the water has cooked off and rice looks dry, add another cup and then return lid to pan.

Enjoy!