You’re probably looking at the picture, reading the headline, and thinking, “Drew has lost it.” But I’m telling you, this stuff is super-easy to make, cheaper than canned food, better for him, and … it’s pretty tasty. The first time I made it the girls asked if they could try it. Then they asked if they could have it for dinner.
It’s really, really close to chicken fried rice, but heavier on the chicken. It tastes great. And Woodie likes it, too. But more important, it agrees with him. Woodie’s 17 years old, and he doesn’t do well with canned food any more. Since I started making this, he’s much happier. (And so are we.)
Ingredients
1 pack boneless chicken thighs (5 thighs, ~1 pound)
1 cup rice
1/2 cup olive oil (I use olive pomace)
2-3 teaspoons salt
Directions
Put the rice, two cups of water and a teaspoon of salt in a pan over high heat.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the rice is going, heat the oil over high heat, and add the chicken.
Open up all the pieces so they’re laying flat, and salt the side facing up.
Cover the pan, and cook for about a minute or two, until the bottom starts to lightly brown.
Flip the thighs over, put the lid back on, and turn the heat down to medium.
Give it about five minutes, then pull the thighs apart. If they don’t come into pieces easily, let it cook another minute or two.
Turn the heat to low and put the lid back on until the rice is done. The chicken should be cooked all the way through at the same time. Test the thickest piece to make sure.
Transfer about a third of the rice to a food processor. Add all the chicken, letting it drain, but reserve the fat in the pan.
Pulse the food processor until the chicken is all shredded.
[Note: The Ninja
Pour the rest of the rice into the pan you cooked the chicken in. Toss it to let it soak up all the olive oil and rendered chicken fat.
Add the processed chicken and rice to the pan and mix.
Look at your dog, waiting patiently.
Call his name (kind of loud, because he’s a little hard of hearing) and tell him it’s almost ready.
Let it cool a little, because once you put it in his bowl — not all of it, this is enough for a whole week — he’s going to suck it down in about two-and-a-half seconds.
And that’s it.
Oh, this is also a great meal for someone trying their first solid food after being sick. Tasty but mild, and the rice helps keep everything … uhhh … together, if you know what I mean.
