Essence Chicken and Cheesy Rice

It's been awhile since I've posted on this blog!  We haven't regularly gotten a basket during the winter - but we're starting to get them now!  This is a recipe I had done long time ago using some things in the basket.  It takes some time to prepare - but is so yummy!

Possible basket items used:  onion, yellow pepper, mushrooms, green onion

First off, you need to mix up some of Emeril's Essence seasoning:
2 1/2 T paprika
2 T salt
2 T garlic powder
1 T black pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T oregano
1 T thyme
Combine them all and shake (Store in a used seasoning container if you have an empty one)

Essence Chicken:
4 strips of bacon (we use turkey bacon) cooked and chopped
1 lbs chicken breasts
2 tsp Essence
1 c. diced yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz mushrooms
1 tsp thyme
1 c. chicken stock (or broth if you don't have stock)
1/4 c. chopped green onions
** Season chicken with essence and cook in large frying pan till almost cooked through.  Add bacon, onions and garlic and cook till onions are almost done.  Add mushrooms, thyme and chicken stock.  Cook till all heated through.  Sprinkle the green onions on top.

Cheesy Rice
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 c. diced yellow onion
1/2 c. diced yellow pepper
1 c. rice
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 c. chicken stock
1/2 lbs mozzarella grated cheese
** Melt butter in frying pan.  Add onions and pepper. Stir while cooking.  Add dry rice, salt and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute on medium high.  Add chicken stock and reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and discard.  Add cheese and mix into rice.  Serve with chicken!

(This picture is of a slightly different version of the recipe - I added black beans to it instead of the mushrooms because I didn't have all the ingredients needed to make it the right way.  It was still really good this way too!)