The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! (16 page)

SKILLET-ROASTED POTATOES & CHICKEN

ACTUAL WORK TIME:
15 minutes |
TOTAL TIME:
1 hour 15 minutes |
SERVES:
4

A great one-pot meal. You will be working through a couple of steps (easy ones!) before you pop this little honey into the oven.

Tools needed:
large ovenproof skillet, cutting board, chef’s knife, measuring spoons and cups, paring knife, kitchen timer.

Don’t Panic:
Slicing an onion and a potato is hopefully no big thing for you at this point.

1.
 
Heat
the oven (with the oven rack in the low position) to 425°F.
Dust off
your large ovenproof skillet.

2.
 Thinly
slice
the onion
*
and
scatter
over the bottom of the skillet;
add
the water.
Wash
the potatoes (no need to peel) and
slice
them into about
¹
/
₄
-inch-thick rounds.
Lay
them over the onions, overlapping as necessary.
Drizzle
with the oil.
Wash
and dry the rosemary sprigs, then
pull
the leaves from their sprigs and
sprinkle
over the potatoes
, along with 1 tsp. of the salt and
¹
/
₄
tsp. of the pepper (about 12 turns on a pepper mill).

3.
 
Wash
the chicken and
pat dry
with paper towels. In a small bowl,
combine
the coriander and the remaining
¹
/
₂
tsp. salt and
¹
/
₂
tsp. pepper (about 24 turns on a pepper mill). Using your fingers,
rub
the spices into both sides of the chicken.
Lay
the chicken, skin side up, over the potatoes.
Roast
until the chicken is cooked through (you can cut into a piece to make sure it’s no longer pink) and the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 1 hour.

Chicken with Rice & Peas

ACTUAL WORK TIME:
20 minutes |
TOTAL TIME:
1 hour 5 minutes |
Serves:
4

A one-pot meal that’s prepared on the stovetop. Prep, set the timer, walk away, and pour yourself a glass of wine to celebrate your fabulousness.

Tools needed:
5- to 6-qt. pot with a tight-fitting lid, measuring cups and spoons, tongs, chef’s knife, cutting board, grater/zester, wooden spoon, strainer, kitchen timer.

Don’t Panic:
Chopping the garlic and browning the chicken are two delicious skills that are great for your cooking repertoire.

1.
 Organization is important here.
Get out
your cutting board and tools.

2.
 
Wash
the chicken and
pat dry
with paper towels.
Measure
¹
/
₄
tsp. of the salt, then
pinch
and
sprinkle
over the tops.
Season
tops with
¹
/
₈
tsp. of the pepper (about 6 turns on a pepper mill).
Turn
the chicken over and
season
the same way with the remaining
¹
/
₄
tsp. salt and
¹
/
₈
tsp. pepper.

3.
 
Place
your large pot on the stove and
turn
the heat to medium-high.
Measure
and
pour
in the oil and
heat
until it shimmers (1 to 2 minutes). Using tongs,
add
the chicken, skin side down, and
cook
until the skin is browned, about 10 minutes.

4.
 While the chicken cooks, you have plenty of time to
chop
the garlic,
*
grate
the lemon zest,
*
and
wash
the thyme sprigs.
Measure
the rice, broth, and water.
Place
everything near the stove.
Set aside
the lemon that you zested for serving.

5.
 Is the skin dark brown and crispy yet? If so,
flip
the chicken over and
cook
2 minutes more
. If the skin sticks to the bottom of the pot, don’t worry. Just
peel
it carefully from the pan with your tongs.

6.
 
Add
the garlic and thyme sprigs
and
cook
until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add
the rice
, chicken broth
, water, and lemon zest and let come to a boil.
Cover
the pot,
lower
the heat to low, and let
simmer
(low boil) until the rice is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through (you can cut into a piece to make sure it’s no longer pink), 45 to 50 minutes.