Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (150g) Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3/4 cup (100g) Carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3/4 cup (100g) Celery, sliced into half-moons
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (1g) Dried thyme
  • 1 lb (450g) Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 6 cups (1.4L) Low-sodium chicken bone broth
  • 3/4 cup (145g) Long-grain white rice, rinsed thoroughly
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 tsp (6g) Fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp (1g) Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup (10g) Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup (30g) Fresh baby spinach

Instructions:

  1. In a large Dutch oven, combine olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery. Start in a cold pan and turn heat to medium-high. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until onions are translucent and cellular walls break down.
  2. Add minced garlic and dried thyme to the vegetables. Stir for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken bone broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
  4. Add the rinsed white rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes.
  5. Add the cubed chicken breast to the simmering broth. Continue to simmer, covered, for 5–7 minutes or until the chicken is flash-poached to 165°F and the rice is tender.
  6. Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and baby spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt in the residual heat for 1 minute. Remove the bay leaf before serving.