Description
Blackened chicken over dirty rice is Cajun cooking distilled to its essence — intensely seasoned protein over rice that gets its flavor and color from chicken livers, the holy trinity, and Cajun spices. The chicken is seared until the spice crust is almost black, and the rice underneath is savory and earthy. It is one of those plates where every forkful has something going on.
Ingredients
Units
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 8 ounces chicken livers, finely chopped
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Coat the chicken thighs generously on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- Cook the ground pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into fine crumbles, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped chicken livers and cook 3 minutes until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the onion, celery, and bell pepper for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the remaining Cajun seasoning, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir 1 minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the chicken broth, return the pork and liver mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook 18 minutes until the rice is tender.
- While the rice cooks, heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Sear the chicken thighs 4 minutes per side until blackened and cooked through.
- Fluff the dirty rice with a fork and stir in green onions and parsley. Slice the blackened chicken and serve over the rice.
Notes
- Chicken livers are what make dirty rice dirty — they give the rice its characteristic brown color and minerally depth. Leave them out and you have rice, not dirty rice.
- Chopping the livers very finely ensures they melt into the rice rather than presenting as identifiable chunks, which can put people off.
- The cast iron skillet must be ripping hot for proper blackening. If you do not see smoke, the pan is not hot enough.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 840
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 44
- Cholesterol: 210