Pesto Rice

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One-pan Pesto Rice is an all-in-one meal with smoked chicken sausage, tender rice, and loads of veggies, all baked in a basil pesto sauce. Minimal effort, maximum flavor!

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Resting Time10

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Healthy

Keyword: pesto rice

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.12

Equipment

9 x 13-inch baking pan glass or ceramic
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1-1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice see note 1
2-1/2 cups chicken stock or broth, see note 2
2 cups grated carrot 2 medium-large carrots, see note 3
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 ounces Italian-style chicken sausage diced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil see note 4
2 cups frozen peas
basil pesto for serving, see note 5
1/2 cup ribboned fresh basil optional

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a glass or ceramic 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Cut butter into 6 equal slices and set aside. Peel carrots, grate on large holes of grater, and measure to get 2 cups.
Add uncooked basmati rice to the prepared pan, along with chicken stock, grated carrots, all the seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1-1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are incorporated and spread in an even layer. Add cut pieces of butter evenly on top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, dice chicken sausage into small pieces (I cut each sausage in half, half again, then into small pieces).
After 40 minutes, remove foil (save foil—just set aside for now). Don’t mix the rice at all! Top evenly with sun-dried tomatoes and diced sausage. Place back in the oven, uncovered, and bake another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. Don’t stir the rice. Top with the foil again and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. This is important to avoid mushy rice!
After 10 minutes, remove foil and add frozen peas on top. Gently mix everything together and lightly fluff rice with a fork. If desired, add fresh basil to taste. (I add 1/2 cup, ribboned.) Taste and add additional salt/pepper if needed. Gently stir basil through, then serve. Add a generous scoop of basil pesto atop each bowl and gently mix in. Enjoy promptly!

Video

Notes

Note 1: I tested this recipe with all kinds of rice, and the only one I found success with is basmati rice. Other grains of rice gave inconsistent results—ranging from very mushy to unevenly cooked.

Note 2: The stock is very important to flavor—use a full-bodied (not low-sodium) stock. I love Swanson’s stock best.

Note 3: Avoid packaged pre-shredded carrots; they are hard, dry, and far less flavorful. When you grate your own carrots, they have much more moisture, which is a must for the recipe to properly work.

Note 4: Use the sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil—those have the most flavor! While they’re pretty small as is, give them a quick coarse chop (or cut with sharp kitchen shears) to ensure they’ll make it into every bite of this Pesto Rice.

Note 5: I recommend refrigerated, freshly-made basil pesto, which you can find near refrigerated fresh pasta and gourmet cheese. Rana’s® Basil Pesto is my favorite store-bought pesto.

Storage: Keep leftovers and pesto in separate airtight container in the fridge for 5–7 days. Or freeze leftovers in an airtight bag. Only combine pesto and leftovers when eating.

Nutrition