Later presidential culinary histories associate Elizabeth Monroe’s Oak Hill kitchen with chicken and rice. Cooking the two together keeps the chicken juices in the grain and scales the family tradition to one pan.
The president & the table
The Monroe family’s food story leads back to Oak Hill. Later presidential culinary histories associate Elizabeth Monroe’s kitchen with chicken and rice, while spoonbread and other hot corn breads belong to the household’s Virginia setting.
Behind this story
The Presidents’ Cookbook, Monroe chapter; Oak Hill family culinary tradition.
APRON ON. HISTORY CAN WAIT.
Make it at home.
Our home adaptation · Serves 4 · Not yet kitchen-tested
What you’ll need
Let’s make it
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown skin-side down in oil in a lidded ovenproof pan for 7–8 minutes; turn for 2 minutes and remove.
Soften onion in the pan for 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme for 1 minute, then rice and stock. Bring to a simmer.
Set chicken skin-side up over the rice. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more, until rice is tender and chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F.
Rest off the heat for 10 minutes. Fluff exposed rice gently and add parsley.
About this home version
A modern home recipe with practical ingredients and measured quantities.
Metric and US measures are approximate equivalents. For baking, use weights when you can.
