re: looking for a good rice and gravy recipe if anyone has one

It doesn' have to be either or. I cook "chicken" gravy as much as any other and it doesn't have tomatos or well browned beef.

Cut up one whole chicken, wash good and dry very well. Season with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and put in dutch oven with a little oil over medium heat. Brown on all sides then remove from heat. Remove all but about two tablespoons of fat from pan and add one small onion chopped fine, one small carrot diced fine and stir until softened, about ten minutes, add a couple cloves of minced garlic and a couple tablespoons of flour stir constantly for about five minutes to get a light blonde roux but really just to get the raw flour taste out. Add one cup or so of white wine. Deglaze pan until all bits are swimming. Add chicken back in and enough water and wine to cover chicken by an inch or so and add a big spoon of chicken base. Stir until mixed, bring to a boil and then remove to pre heated oven at 350 for hour and a half. Check every thirty minutes for liquid, thickness. If not thick enough add the same cornstarch slurry as above. Remove from oven and skim fat, stir well and serve over rice.

You can add dumplings to this after the first thirty minutes in the oven if you like or you can even add pasta and not serve over rice.

However this is a rice and gravy thread. Here's your rice and chicken gravy without beef or tomatos. This is as South Louisiana as any other. It's country cooking regardless of where you are located.