Cuisinart Rice Cooker Review + Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup Recipe

The winter months are the perfect time to try out new soup recipes.  There's nothing better than a big pot full of homemade soup on a cold day.  And for me...soup can only be made when it's cold out (other than the canned variety).

I was sent a Cuisinart Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology to try out with a new recipe.  I have never used a rice cooker before.  In fact...I always just buy instant rice because it's quick and easy.

But this is more than just a rice cooker.  It's like a mini crock pot, slow cooker, rice cooker.  I always assumed because it was called a RICE cooker that it was good only for cooking rice.  I had no idea you could prepare oatmeal, soups...and this particular rice cooker has an insert tray for steaming other items like veggies.

I also did not know that you could turn on your rice cooker and let it go...like a slow cooker.  The Cuisinart Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology has pre-programmed menu options for white rice, brown rice, sushi rice and risotto.  You can set it up to cook for a certain amount of time and it will kick into the warm setting that starts after it's finished cooking.   It also has a reheat option and the controls are easy to use and read.   I really am surprised at how versatile this appliance is.  The cooking bowl (?) has a non-stick surface...and even cooking sticky jasmine rice...well, it didn't stick.

So the soup I made...first off, it was SO easy to make.  I prepared the rice last night.  I used jasmine rice, cooked it according to directions.  And using the rice cooker was simple.  The display and extra large buttons made finding the right setting very easy.  I poured the rice in, added water, shut the lid and 45 minutes later it beeped at me to let me know it was done.

For the actual soup, I followed the recipe below.  However, I did substitute boneless/skinless chicken breast for the chicken thighs and I realized too late that I didn't have any bay leaves so I just omitted them from the recipe.  And I don't think those two minor alterations changed the recipes taste, texture...or anything.

I actually cooked the soup, on the slow cooker setting, all day while I was at work.  The last 10 minutes or so I had hubby toss in the shrimp and frozen peas.  You serve the soup over the rice.

My thoughts on the soup:

First bite...I immediately tasted the coconut milk.  I am not a fan of coconut for the most part and this being the first thing I noticed made me skeptical whether or not I would like the soup.  After a few bites though I discovered that it was tasty and the coconut flavor wasn't as overpowering as the first bite.  I will blame my dislike for coconut into tricking me into thinking it was stronger than it was.  I did need to season it with a little more salt while I was eating it.  I didn't add much salt while it cooked.  Overall the soup was good and very filling.  I expected it to have a bit of a spicy kick to it because of the jalapeno, but it was not spicy at all.  I think some heat would really be a great addition to the soup.  To me...spicy and peanuts go together.

Bonus: You prepare the soup, from start to finish, in the rice cooker.  You cook the rice separately then cook the soup.  Literally...one pan dinner.

Dennis's thoughts on the soup:

He liked it.  Didn't love it...but he did eat two bowls of it.  I think he would have liked it more had it been spicy.  He also didn't think I'd put enough shrimp in it.

Autumn's thoughts on the soup:

She LOVED it.  She ate three bowls (in her defense, my soup bowls aren't that big).

Hunter's thoughts on the soup:

He didn't like it.  He didn't like that there was tomatoes in it.  He's picky...and he's 7, so I'll let him slide on this one.

Ethan's thoughts on the soup:

Well, he's 2 (3 next week!)...he didn't eat a single bite.  I didn't expect him to.  He had Pop Tarts for dinner.

I did have to prepare more rice for the leftovers, but with my snazzy new rice cooker that is a simple task.  I forgot to take my own photo of my one pot rice cooker soup...if I remember in the morning I'll snap a pic of the leftovers (lunch!)

The recipe below for Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup was developed specifically by Chef Keller using the Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker.  The inspiration for this dish came from the two years in which Chef Keller worked in Brazil with Master Chef Roger Verge at Cuisine du Soleil.  There, he began to integrate some of the bright, bold flavors of Brazilian cooking that make this soup so unique and flavorful: combining chicken and jumbo shrimp, while using coconut milk and lime juice to deepen and enliven the stock base, and ultimately, adding a final flourish of cilantro. 

Brazilian Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Serves 8

5 chicken thighs, skinned

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small)

1 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1 medium)

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/3 cup finely chopped toasted peanuts

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 bay leaves

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups coconut milk

8 ounces raw shrimp (medium size), peeled and de-veined

10 ounces frozen peas

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

4 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice for serving

1. Prepare rice using the long-grain directions on the cooking chart for Cuisinart’s Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker. Rice can also be prepared the day before.

2. Place the chicken in a medium mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and rub chicken with minced garlic. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. In the cooking pot of the Cuisinart Rice Plus™ Multi-Cooker, add the olive oil. Set to Quick Cook and press start. Once the olive oil is hot, after about 3 minutes, add the onions and peppers and sauté for about 4 minutes until soft and fragrant.

4. Stir in the canned tomatoes including juice, peanuts, jalapeno, bay leaves, salt, pepper, broth, and coconut milk. (Note: be sure to stir the coconut milk prior to pouring from can). Add the chicken and marinade and stir until well combined. Turn the unit off. Close the lid and select the Soup function and set the timer for 5 hours.

5. 15 minutes before the timer is done, rinse the shrimp well and pat dry. Place in a mixing bowl with the remaining lime juice and a pinch each of the salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 5 to 8 minutes; no longer or the acid of the juice will begin to cook the shrimp.

6. Once there are 5 minutes remaining on the timer, open the lid and add the frozen peas and the shrimp, with the juices, and close again to finish cooking.

7. Once the timer tone sounds, open the lid. Discard the bay leaves. Take out the whole chicken pieces and place on a cutting board. Remove the meat from the bone, cut into bite size pieces, and return to the pot. Stir in the cilantro to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

8. To serve, place some warm cooked rice (approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup depending on portion size) in the bottom of each soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and/or chopped peanuts.

Much thanks to Rachel Litner Associates for providing me with the review item and recipe.

The "I don't like fancy lingo" disclaimer:

I received a free item(s) in exchange for a review. These reviews are my opinion(s) and any compensation received did not sway me to say nice things about the product/company. What you read is what I think.