Week 3: NE Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons- Vidalia Onion Chicken and Rice

Okay, so this week is a stretch. When I looked up food Atlanta is known for, all I could find was Coca-Cola and Chick-fil-a. Well, I don't drink soda, and of all the types out there, I dislike Coke the most. Chick-fil-a, I enjoy on occasion, but I didn't feel like trying to recreate a Char-grilled Chicken Sandwich, which is what we get.

So, I figured I'd have to do something Georgia is famous for- Peaches, Pecans, Peanuts or Vidalia Onions. I decided on the onions. Now here is the first reason it's a stretch: From what info I was able to find, Vidalia onions are from South Georgia; Atlanta is more North. But they are the official state vegetable. And I chose to include rice, which was a staple food in historical Georgia, because of all of the rice plantations.

And now for the biggest reason this meal is a stretch (to me:) I really cheated with this one. I used store-bought Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette as the base of this sauce. I even adapted this from the recipe off the bottle. It was already in my fridge, and I guess I was feeling a little unadventurous this week. But it was quick and easy, and actually pretty good. Sage liked it better than me, but then Chicken and Rice- in any form- is his favorite meal. Because I didn't want an overwhelming salad dressing taste, I added extra milk, but then I thickened it up at the end with a tiny bit of cornstarch and cold water, but it could be omitted. I paired this with roasted carrots and steamed broccoli, which I'm sure has nothing to do with Georgia, but I wanted to use up.

I promise I have something more exciting planned for next week!

Slightly adapted from Virgina Brand Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and pepper

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/3 Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced

1/2 cup Virgina Brand Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette

1/2 cup milk

cornstarch (optional)

Add rice to 2 1/2 cup water, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes.

When rice has about 20 minutes left, heat oil in a skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan with onions. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mix milk and vinaigrette. Add to skillet and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 6 minutes, or until chicken pieces are cooked through. If desired, add a small amount of cornstarch to cold water. Blend completely and add to skillet. Stir until it returns to a boil, about 1 minutes.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice.