This one-pot chicken and rice delivers a lot of comfort, and a little kick
One of the reasons chicken and rice is such a world-class dish is because it can take on so many flavors, making it a signature of so many cuisines. I know I've edited at least a few dozen such recipes for The Washington Post and made twice that many in my own kitcheneering. Even when they're not so great, they're still okay, I reckon. It's chicken and rice, people!
This particular one did not originate in the southwest corner of Louisiana or come from French-Spanish descendants of New Orleans. Rather, it builds on a blend of dried spices and herbs that so often appear in Cajun cooking: paprika, cayenne, oregano, granulated garlic, onion. But it pours on the milk, too, which gives the rice a risotto kind of creaminess and mellows the dish in general. The seasoned pieces of chicken are browned in the pot first, just long enough to pick up color, and then they are returned to infuse the rice-vegetable mixture with their own goodness.
Humble comfort food can fit the bill, even when folks are attempting to fry eggs on the sidewalk. So eat this chicken and rice while it is warm, straight from the pot, and know that its flavor will hold up as cold leftovers, as well.