Herbed Chicken with Veggies and Rice

I was actually really excited about making this meal. I got the inspiration from a chicken recipe in the French style, although I changed it up so much I doubt what I did could be considered "French" anymore. Haha. I'm not an expert on French cooking...I just make what looks good to me, and it usually turns out alright. I DO think that cooking with herbs and chicken is a staple in French cooking, but that's probably where the comparisons to my recipe end. :)

I will say from the get-go...I used slightly too much of my herbs. It was still edible, and not a total loss, but I am going to tell you a smaller amount than what I used so you don't have that problem. It was actually still pretty tasty, despite my overzealous seasoning. Also, if you use fresh herbs as opposed to dried...you'll need more fresh herbs. Dried herbs tend to have a stronger flavor, so adjust accordingly. I used dried herbs. Over all, I think I will make this again, because it really was pretty good. Next time I'll just tone down the rosemary and thyme. This also made pretty hearty portions for my hubby and I, so scale down the amounts per person if you want. Ok, enough of that. Away we go.

Ingredients:
-Butter, about 1/3-1/2 cup
-1 tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme, dried, for seasoning chicken, then another 1/2 teaspoon of each for seasoning later
-Chicken breasts, enough to feed everyone you need to.
-Fresh Veggies-I used broccoli, carrots, and green beans. All combined, it was probably 2-3 cups of veggies for 2 people, and it probably could have fed 3 people.
-Rice-I used white Minute rice, 2 cups uncooked. This amount will vary based on how many people you're feeding.
-Chicken broth-the amount will vary depending on how much chicken and rice you're making...I used 3 cups of broth for two chicken breasts, all my veggies, and 2 cups of uncooked rice. If you're making a meal for 4 (3-4 chicken breasts, 3-4 cups of veggies, and 3-4 cups of uncooked rice), I would recommend 4-5 cups of broth. You want enough broth to be able to simmer the veggies and chicken, and still have enough liquid for the rice to soak it up and be cooked.

Have I confused you enough yet? :)

Directions:
In your largest skillet, and I mean your largest (you might even want to use a dutch oven if you're making a lot), melt the butter over medium high heat. Season the chicken lightly on both sides with rosemary and thyme. Add to the butter in the pan. Let the chicken start to cook on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip it over and let it cook another few minutes. When the butter starts to cook away, add the broth into the pan. This will keep the butter from burning and start the process of simmering the chicken. After letting the chicken simmer for a few minutes, add the veggies, chopped into relatively even sized pieces, so they'll cook evenly together. I just kinda chunked them (aka rough chopped into chunks). Cover the pan and let all the veggies and chicken simmer until they're almost done. Sprinkle the rest of the rosemary and thyme into the pan and stir it around. At this point, you want to add in the rice. Stir it around so all the rice is covered in liquid. Cover the pan again for about another 5 minutes, or until the rice is done. The rice will cook and absorb most, if not all, of the remaining liquid, so don't let it sit too long or the bottom of the pan will start to burn...meaning whatever is touching the pan, with no liquid left, will just get brown. Remove the lid and stir everything around so it's all nice and evenly distributed.

When everything is cooked and ready to go, scoop a pile of the rice and veggies onto the plate, then put the chicken on top. Serve and enjoy!