Retirement Chicken by Tom

UPDATED 2024

Previously I posted a recipe that I had made when I was in graduate school, which aptly was named "Graduate School Chicken". It was a one dish meal that was easy to make, cheap and tasty to eat.

Now that I am retired, I needed another one-dish meal with chicken that again would be easy to make and tasty to eat. Hence the newly named "Retirement Chicken".

Because I served it over rice, it is actually a two-dish meal, but that is just a small technicality. I have now made it several times to rave reviews, so this is definitely a keeper. Prep time is short and the cooking time is roughly the same time it takes to make the rice.

Give it a try. You don't have to be retired to make it!

---Tom

Retirement Chicken
(adapted very broadly from a Chicken Paprika recipe I found in the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que cookbook )

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs, skin removed
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 small bunch of scallions, sliced including a bunch of the green part
1 cup or so chicken broth
1 cup or so barbeque sauce - any variety that you enjoy will work 
1 1/2 tablespoons Turkish seasoning - this is probably a spice not in your spice rack. So use 1 heaping teaspoon paprika, 1 heaping t. oregano and 1 t. heaping chili powder
1 cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
rice of any variety that the chicken concoction is served over

Chop up the onion and scallions.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken thighs for about 3 minutes a side.

Transfer the browned chicken breasts to a plate when browned.

Next saute the onion and scallions until they are soft. Then add the chopped garlic and saute for an additional minute.

Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet along with any juices from the plate.

Now add the chicken broth, the barbeque sauce and the Turkish spice (or spice mixture). Bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the rice and a vegetable. In this meal I served the Retirement Chicken with Hayden's Sprouts, which starts with a tightly covered baking sheet loaded with Brussels sprout halves.

Roast brussels sprouts at 500 degrees, covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for another 10 minutes.  Brussels sprouts were lightly coated with olive oil, 1 T. of water, salt and pepper, spread out in a single layer and covered with aluminum foil prior to roasting.

About 5 minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream to just warm it up. The sour cream adds a rich texture to the dish.

All stirred up and heating through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the rice onto the plate and heap a generous portion of the chicken thighs and liquid mixture over the rice. Add the vegetable and you have a meal.

Retirement Chicken...it's not just for retirees!

--Tom