I actually misremembered, this one cost me >$40. I think I was confusing prices with my George Foreman. Still worth the money though. It gets it to that sticky texture like in restaurants.
The most truly brain-dead method is the crock pot like the top comment says. But, for me, it tends to takes too long so I usually bake my chicken.
BASIC BODYBUILDING CHICKEN RECIPE INCOMING:
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Take any baking pan and cover it in a sheet of aluminum foil (makes for faster clean up). Spray canned olive oil to coat the aluminum foil and then place thawed chicken on top. You can season to your desire. I keep it simple and tend to just use lemon pepper seasoning (or anything else basic like italian season or even just salt etc).
If you have more time you can use a store bought marinade with the chicken in a ziplock bag before- hand. For best flavor, just let the marinade sit with the chicken for at least 30 min or you can leave overnight. Before adding to the prepared baking pan as described above.
You can leave the chicken to cook for up to 50 min or an hour before it dries out. Depends on your oven. But if you're concerned about undercooking you can invest in a >10 dollar meat thermometer to make sure the internal temp is 165 degrees.
I use a rice cooker with a veggie steamer for the rest. This is the one I got:
Zojirushi NHS-06 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S575/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AZdICbMA22S9V)
Before I just cooked rice on the stove and microwaved the veggies.
Hope this helps!
Entry level Zojirushi like this guy. I have it and it's exactly what I want / need. Makes perfect rice, every time. It's not the cheapest, but it has zero features outside of "Push button, cook rice" so you save a lot of money on unnecessary extras.
Best rice cooker I’ve ever used. if you need to feed families of 8+ consistently then buy the bigger version. I feed 5 adults + leftovers consistently with this, makes amazing sushi rice every time.
I used the extact same rice just now. I am south asian and I cook rice a lot. My suggestion would be invest in a rice cooker. I have this one and I use it to make basmati once a week. IT comes out right every time, after rinsing and using 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NHS-06-3-Cup-Uncooked-Cooker/dp/B00004S575
I'm not sure if you can get it in the UK, but I got my Zojirushi 3 Cup Japanese rice cooker from Amazon and it's one of the BEST $50 I ever spent:
Zojirushi NHS-06 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S575/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_V1EA0ARXZZWD78587QVV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Do yourself a favor and just get a cheap Zojirushi rice maker, they're bulletproof and make far superior rice in my opinion. I have this model, and use it several times a week and rice always comes out perfect with very little fuss. It also allows me to use my pressure cooker for the meal while the rice is doing its thing, and everything is ready at the same time.
I have a "cheap" zoji model like this one. I know it is really basic, and you can find cheaper brands, but the non-stick lining on the zoji is amazing. I use it nearly every day for the last 7 years and i never had any rice stuck to the bottom. Just remember to use the included plastic spoon, don't use the rough side of the sponge to clean, and soak in water if you are having any trouble.
As an Asian person... no question it's worth it. I got some of the frozen minute rice on a whim and it was just disgusting. Expensive rice cookers definitely make rice a lot better with more consistency. I use this which is probably the cheapest rice cooker you should consider. It's fine, but the switch usually flicks off before it's done cooking, so I have to leave it on keep warm for about 15-20 minutes before I can actually eat it.
But when I use my mom or sister's rice cookers at home, the rice always turns out fantastic. If you eat rice at least every other day it's definitely worth the investment.
My family has been using Zojiruishi, or Elephant brand as mom calls it for years. We use the $100+ version but I bet you would be happy with this one too.
I’ve been using this one for years and years. Simply, small and easy to use. Probably make rice 2-3 times a week.
https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NHS-06-3-Cup-Uncooked-Cooker/dp/B00004S575/
I have this one! I love it! https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S575/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
We've been using the 3-cup https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S575/ for over a year and it still looks like new. It looks like the 6-cup has a keep warm option, but we don't miss it.
3-cup is currently on sale for $44.99 and the 6- for $56.99.
Compared to the one we had before (some too-big-brand like Black&Decker or Hamilton Beach) the lining in this one is a lot more sturdy and hasn't scratched.
What do you think about this one though? Is it good?
Is this the one you used to have? Why’d you upgrade?
Zojirushi is the best for a reason. The pots wear out eventually, but so does anything that has a non-stick coating. If you're ok with a simpler rice cooker, I know I am, I have no idea what I would do with all the different functions on the fancy models, Zojirushi also has simpler more budget friendly options: https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NHS-06-3-Cup-Uncooked-Cooker/dp/B00004S575
<strong>Zojirushi</strong> is the most respected brand of rice cooker in the world.
This one is a simple base level model at under $50.
This one? Zojirushi NHS-06 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S575/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_rj60FbEJ74HCN
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S575/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I was a little off on price but this is the one I use and love.
Zojirushi NHS-06 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S575/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_6OEEFbT1RNAQG
Zojirushi makes the best ones in the world, hands down.
You can find a no-frills cooker anywhere for around $30.
Zoji's equivalent is $45 on Amazon and will last much longer due to the quality with which they are built.
If you want the same sort of thing but family-sized, Pleasant Hill sells the next size up in the same series for $10-$15 more.
Access to no microwave:
Go Japanese style bento: Rice Onigiris : rice balls with tuna in them (I use calrose rice, and switch the filling with leftovers meat sometime). Tamagoyaki : egg omelets with a sprinkle of sugar. the square pan is not mandatory, just make things easier. Add to that steamed veggies like cauliflowers, carrots, broccoli and you got an easy and fast japanese lunch. The secret to make it quick or even in a dorm room is to use a rice cooker. I have the same model and it comes with a lid you can add on top of the rice. In 20 mins you get steam veggies and white rice cooked perflectly without looking. plus it's super easy to clean.
For cold food for lunches you can also make cold pasta salads with less then 5 ingredients, like this cowboy salad or this chickpea-avocado-feta salad
If you have access to a microwave :
for warm an easy meals your slow cooker would be your best friends : stews, chili, spaghetti sauce. anything put in there will break with just a fork so you wont need to have a knife.
My boyfriend started to used those black meal storage everybody shows on mealpreap (the three containers one). The biggest container is for veggies, the two smalls are for carbs and meat. He's been using it religiously for 8 weeks now and he combined with a bit of cardio everyday, has lost over 20 pounds.
I see no reason to spend more than $40 on a rice cooker. (Unless you just need a larger one).
There's even a cheaper one- $50
https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NHS-06-3-Cup-Uncooked-Cooker/dp/B00004S575