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Fragrant chicken and rice
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 500g diced chicken (preferably a mixture of breast and thigh)
- juice 1/2 lemon
- 3tbsp yoghurt
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 15g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 50g golden raisins or chopped dried apricots
- 300g basmatic rice, well rinsed
- 450ml chicken or vegetable stock or water
- a few drops orange blossom water (optional)
For the spices
- 2tsp ground cardamom
- 2tsp ground coriander
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 1tsp allspice
- 1/2tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2tsp ground white pepper
- pinch saffron, ground with pinch sea salt
To serve
- 50g flaked almonds
- 3tbsp pomegranate seeds
- a few sprigs of herbs, such as mint, parsley, chervil, coriander
Method
First mix the spices together.
Put half in a large bowl and
add another 1⁄2tsp salt. Toss
the chicken in the spices in
the bowl, then pour the lemon
juice and yoghurt over, mixing
together so the chicken is
completely coated. Cover and
leave for at least 1 hour if you
have time – it can sit in the
fridge overnight if necessary.
Heat the oil and butter together in a pressure cooker until the butter is foaming, then add the onion. Sauté for a minute or two, just so it gets coated with the butter, then add the garlic and the remaining spices. Stir in the chicken, then add the bay leaves and raisins or apricots. Season again with more salt.
Sprinkle in the rice, making sure it is evenly spread, then pour over the stock or water and add a few drops of orange blossom water, if using.
Close the lid and bring up to high pressure. Cook for 3 minutes at high pressure, then fast release. Remove the lid, put a tea towel over the cooker and replace the lid. Leave to steam for 5 minutes.
Lightly toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan. Spoon the rice and chicken on to a serving platter or into individual bowls and garnish with the toasted almonds, pomegranate seeds and herbs.
Cook’s notes
Use this recipe as a base for any type of pilaf. It also works beautifully with freekeh in place of the rice as the chicken will happily cook for 10 minutes as opposed to the 3 needed for the rice.
The yogurt marinade is not essential, as the pressure cooker does a very good job of tenderising the chicken on its own, but it does add an extra dimension, so it’s worth doing if you have time.
This recipe was taken from the March 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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