Beer Chicken and Rice

I will admit, as someone who has had his fair share of beers, cooking with beer is not the coolest thing you can do with beer. Drinking it is probably the coolest, closely followed by exaggerating to your friends about how many beers you actually drank.

With that said, a nice flavorful beer like an IPA or good Amber Ale can add a kick to otherwise ordinary ingredients. Its great to beef up the flavor of rice. Another great cooking use for beer? Beer Brats. But we will have to wait for summer for that recipe. And here in Chicago, the summer is far, far away.

Beer Chicken and Rice- For two or for 1 dinner and 1 lunch. The picture doesn't do it justice. Its actually delicious.

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts
Half a bag of baby carrot
1 Medium Sized Red Onion
1 cup of Brown Rice
2 12 Oz beers- something like an IPA, Amber Ale, Pale Ale with lots of flavor
Salt, Pepper
Canola Oil

Directions

1. Thinly slice chicken breasts. Cook over medium high heat in canola oil until chicken is browned and fully cooked- about 12 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste
2. While Chicken is cooking chop up half a bag of baby carrots and dice a red onion. Place 1 cup of brown rice and veggies in a large sauce pan. Wait for chicken to finish cooking
3. When chicken is done cooking all the way through place chicken in sauce pan with veggies and rice. Make sure you get the excess Canola Oil in the saucepan.
4. Pour both bottles of beer in the sauce pan with all the ingredients, this will substitute for water. Cook rice according to package directions. Don't worry that you use more liquid than the package calls for because the veggies and chicken will soak up the excess. You might have to play with this a few times to get the liquid right, but err on the side of using too much liquid and if there is left over liquid, use a slotted spoon to plate.
5. Once the rice is done cooking (with all the other ingredients in there) according to package let sit for 5 minutes. Plate when done, salt and pepper to taste
6. Grab yourself another few beers if  your looking for a buzz because the alcohol will evaporate as it cooks.