Middle Eastern chicken and rice

This simple Middle Eastern chicken and rice dish comes from Chelsea Goodwin, creator of popular social media group $10 Meals Australia and author of bestselling cookbook, $10 Meals with Chelsea. Marinate the chicken in advance overnight if you have time, to get the best flavour!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 40 g butter
• ½ large brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 120 g baby spinach leaves
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) basmati rice, rinsed well
• 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
• 400 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced
• Greek yoghurt, to serve

For the chicken marinade 

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 4 large skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh cutlets

Marinating time: 1-24 hours (optional)

Instructions

1. In an extra-large bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade and mix well to combine. This can be used immediately, but it can also be marinated for 1-24 hours in advance.
   
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (reserving the marinade) and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until browned. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then melt the butter.
   
3. Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened. Stir through the garlic, ground spices and baby spinach leaves and cook until wilted. Pour in the reserved marinade from the chicken with the rice and stir well to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once it begins to simmer, remove from the heat, stir through the chickpeas and arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Cover the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
   
4. Uncover the pan and top the chicken with the sliced lemon. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked (the chicken is ready when you prick it with a skewer and its juices run clear, or when its internal temperature reaches 75°C when tested with a meat thermometer. If in doubt, cut a piece to check it’s completely cooked through and not still pink in the middle.) If you want to brown the chicken further, pop it under the grill for a few minutes.
   
5. Serve the Middle Eastern chicken and rice with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
   

Notes

• Chicken: If you want to increase the amount of chicken, you can generally fit 6–8 pieces of chicken in the pan. Since it’s the rice that absorbs the water, there’s no need to make any further adjustments. Drumsticks can be used instead of thighs.
  
• Dairy-free: Replace the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil and leave off the yoghurt to serve.
  
• Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Thrifty Dinner Club

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G