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Growing up, my mom would make chicken and rice and it was one of my absolute favorite meals. I loved the combination of creamy rice with the seasoned chicken. She called it, “Arroz Con Pollo,” even though it didn’t have any Mexican flavors – rather, she used canned cream of mushroom soup and white rice with chicken breasts. Not sure what that name was all about, but it was delicious. So, I didn’t ask questions back then.
Nowadays, I try to cook my food with all non-processed foods. This, sadly, removes such things as cream of mushroom soup as an option. The good news, however, is that I’ve been able to create a delicious chicken and rice recipe and this pork and rice recipe using healthier ingredients that aren’t processed but just as satisfying.
To add flavor to the rice, I saute onion and mushroom before adding in the rice to cook until tender. This makes the rice so delicious and full of texture and flavor. I like using brown rice because it has more of a chew to it and also is higher in fiber and nutrients than the more processed white rice. But, you could use white rice if you’d like. A big flavor differentiator is to cook the rice with chicken broth and not just water – that makes such a difference in the final flavor.
While, with chicken, I would add it into the rice as it cooked, I’ve found that the same technique doesn’t work as well with the pork tenderloin because it is more particular about the difference between cooked perfectly and over-cooked. So, why not just cook it perfectly first and then add it to the cooked rice, right? Sounded good to me.
In order to make the pork, I pan-roast it with some simple spices and that really adds a lot of flavor. Once the pork is fully cooked and the rice is ready, all you need to do is put them together and you’ve got yourself a delicious, impressive, and easy dinner in less than 35 minutes. How awesome is that?
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 5 cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- 3 cups chicken broth/stock
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in deep stock pot.
- Once hot, add the onion and mushroom and cook until tender, approx. 4-6 minutes.
- Add the brown rice and the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
- While the rice is cooking, heat a large, oven-safe skillet over high heat and add the remaining olive oil.
- Season the pork with the salt and pepper.
- Sear the pork on all sides in the hot oil until golden brown, approx. 2 minutes per side.
- Place entire pan into the oven and roast until the pork reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees, approx. 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the oven carefully and slice into medallions to serve alongside the seasoned rice.
