By Fall break at school, which means five days of Marcus and Jasmine in the house together while I work half-days because school counselors don't get fall break — we get "professional development," which is code for sitting in a conference room eating stale muffins while someone presents a PowerPoint about resilience strategies that I could have written better. I love my job. I do not love professional development.
The kids went to Curtis and Brenda's on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was nervous — Mama's been so tired — but she insisted. "I can watch my own grandchildren, Tamika. I'm sick, not dead." The bluntness of it hit me like a slap. She's right, of course. She's always right. And the truth is, having Marcus and Jasmine there lifts her. Marcus read to her from a book about the solar system (he's in a space phase) and Jasmine sang for her, and Mama sat in her recliner and received their offerings like a queen on a throne. Curtis made them sandwiches for lunch, which is the full extent of Curtis Jackson's culinary range, and everyone was fine.
Set the Table class five: chicken and rice. Real chicken — bone-in thighs that I taught the girls to season and brown before adding the rice. Monique was nervous around the raw chicken. "It's slimy," she said, holding a thigh between two fingers like it was a live animal. I said, "Everything good starts messy." She looked at me. I looked at her. We weren't talking about chicken anymore. She seasoned it and browned it and the whole kitchen smelled like somebody's grandmother's house, and Destiny said, "It smells like Sunday in here," which is the best compliment food can receive.
Terrell sent Marcus a text this week. Just a text — "Hope school is going well, buddy." No call. No visit. A text. Marcus showed it to me with an expression I couldn't read — somewhere between hope and contempt, which is a combination that no eleven-year-old should have to hold. I said, "That was nice of him." Marcus said, "Yeah." And that was it. I didn't say more because what I want to say about Terrell Washington is not appropriate for my son's ears and never will be.
Made chicken and dumplings Thursday night because it was the first truly cold evening — sixty-two degrees, which in Atlanta terms is arctic. I used Mama's recipe: whole chicken, slow simmered, hand-rolled dumplings that are thick and doughy and nothing like the flat sad things you get from a can. Marcus stood next to me and watched the dumplings puff up in the broth and said, "How do they do that?" I said, "Steam and faith." He rolled his eyes. But he watched.
After a week of holding my tongue and holding Marcus close, I needed something simple — one pan, no drama, food that just does what it’s supposed to do without asking anything complicated of you. The chicken and dumplings were for Thursday and for Mama’s memory, but this tomato basil chicken and rice is what I make when I want comfort without the ceremony. Here’s how it comes together.
One Pan Tomato Basil Chicken and Rice
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season the chicken all over with the spice mixture, pressing it into the skin.
- Brown the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large, deep oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, for 6–8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Do not wipe out the pan.
- Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the pan drippings and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and rice. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the rinsed rice, chicken broth, and water. Taste and adjust salt.
- Nestle and simmer. Return the browned chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side up, pressing them gently into the rice mixture. The skin should sit just above the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and cook 25–30 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
- Rest and finish. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve directly from the pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg