Some days I have the energy to cook a dinner with a handful of elements, other days I want a meal that I can dump into a pan and forget about until it’s piping hot and ready to eat. 

This is one of those dishes for days when you simply cannot be bothered with spending too much time in the kitchen. 

The steps are easy – prep the toppings and arrange on top of dry rice in a baking dish, pour some water on top, and bake! It’s beyond simple but still packed is complex flavors. Zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, pepperoncinis, olives, and feta all in one dish that is not a salad. Impressive if I do say so myself. 

I serve it with extra herbs and pickled red onions because why not? But it’s unnecessary with all those goodies already packed in. 

This recipe is endless tweak-able so give it a try and don’t be afraid to add a bit of this or that in the dish… extra vegetables, a new spice, more or less tomatoes. For those of you who claim you ‘can’t’ cook and follow recipes to a tee, then don’t! But there is no harm, no foul, in building your confidence on a simple one-pan dump and bake dish like this one. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1lb. chicken breast or thighs

1 large zucchinni (or 2 small)

1 red bell pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes

½ cup pitted green olives

¼ cup pepperoncini slices

1 can artichoke heart halves

2 cups dry basmati rice

½ cup crumbled feta in brine 

½ cup assorted herbs: basil, dill, parsley

Seasoning for chicken: 1 tbsp. paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper

Fresh lemon slices

For quick pickled onions – 

½ red onion

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. oregano, salt

Serving Size: 4-6

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F. 
• Cube chicken and toss with spices until coated. Set aside. 
• Chop zucchini and bell pepper into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.
• Roughly chop green olives and pepperoncinis. And drain artichokes. Set aside. 
• In a 9×13 baking dish, add dry rice, zucchini, and bell pepper. Pour 2.5 cups of water over the rice. 
• Arrange chicken on top of the rice. Then top with artichoke, cherry tomatoes, olives, pepperoncinis, and feta. 
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until rice is cooked through. If the rice is still a bit dry, add ½ cup more water and bake for another 5-8 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and top with additional feta and herbs. 
• Enjoy with lemon slices!