Peri Peri Chicken and Rice Bake

Peri peri chicken baked on broth-cooked rice in one dish, finished with a blended cottage cheese sauce. 55g protein per serving.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Course Main Course

Servings Servings

Calories 529

Protein 55

Make the paste. Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk the paste ingredients. Set aside 2 tbsp for the sauce, and then add the chicken so it can marinate while you prep the rest.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 4 garlic cloves, 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ to 1½ teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Build the rice layer. Rice, onion, pepper, spices and broth into a 9×13 dish. Stir. Press level so all the rice is under the broth.
1 cup long-grain white rice, 1 small onion, 1 red or orange bell pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2¼ cups chicken bone broth
Lay the coated chicken on the rice. Scrape leftover paste on top.
Seal and bake. Cover, crimp the foil edges tight, bake 55 minutes. Rice still firm or liquid pooled? Re-cover, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Add peas and broil. Chicken at 165°F (74°C). Scatter peas around it. Broil (grill) 3 to 4 minutes.
1 cup frozen peas
Make the sauce. Rest 5 minutes. Blend cottage cheese, reserved paste and lemon 60 seconds. Thin with water, 1 tsp at a time. Drizzle.
1 cup cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons reserved peri-peri paste, ½ lemon, 1 to 2 tablespoons water

Foil sealed on every edge. One gap = crunchy rice.
Every grain under the broth before the chicken goes on.
Long-grain white rice only. No brown, no instant.
Breasts under 6 oz? Check at 45 minutes.
Sauce won't drizzle? More water, 1 tsp at a time.
Storage & reheating: Fridge 4 days, sauce in a separate pot. Freeze chicken and rice up to 2 months; make sauce fresh. Reheat covered with a splash of water.