One Pot Wild Rice Chicken Pilaf
We have a curry plant in our backyard and I can’t get enough of the aromatic leaves so much so that I must cook with them at least a few times a week. Inspired by their unique taste and smell, I came up with this Indian version of a wild rice and chicken pilaf. It’s fragrant, hearty and spicy, yet you’ll only need one pot and 15 minutes to prepare it. That’s my kind of cooking! Just ask your butcher to cut up your chicken for you. It’s particularly delicious with a dollop of minty cucumber yoghurt, lime wedges and coriander.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup small fresh curry leaves
1 Tbs ground turmeric
2 Tbs ground coriander
2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs brown mustard seeds
1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 cups wild rice, rinsed
1L chicken stock/broth
1 head of garlic, halved through centre
1 lemon, juiced
1.8kg whole organic fresh chicken, cut into 4 pieces (see note)
To Serve:
Minty cucumber yoghurt (see note)
Lime Wedges
Coriander
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place a large flame-proof, heavy-based baking dish over a medium heat. Add oil. Once melted, add the curry leaves, spices, mustard seeds and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender and light golden. Stir through the rice and stock. Remove dish from heat.
Add the chicken, skin side facing up, then add garlic and juice. Cover the dish tightly with doubled pieces of foil.
Bake for 2 hours or until the rice and chicken are tender. Remove the dish from the oven. Turn the oven temperature up to 220 degrees. Remove cover from dish and return it back to then oven to bake for 10 minutes more or until skin crisps on chicken.
Rest for 5 minutes and then serve with minty cucumber yoghurt, lime wedges and coriander sprigs.
Notes:
You can ask your butcher to cut up your chicken for you. Have it cut into 2 x Maryland pieces and 2 x breast on the bone with wing attached pieces.
If you don’t own a flame-proof heavy-based baking dish, simply fry the oil, curry leaves, spices and onion in a small frying pan first and then just add to your baking dish along with the remaining ingredients.
Make your own minty cucumber yoghurt by combining 1 cup thick Greek yogurt, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/3 cup finely shredded mint leaves, 1 finely chopped, deseeded, Lebanese cucumber and 1 Tbs lime juice in a bowl. You can also add 1 finely chopped and deseeded long green chilli, if desired.