As I sat down to write this post, I thought I would ask my mum what she likes so much about this Chicken With Spiced Rice dish. Her reply? “Don’t ask me what I like about it!” That’s because this dish has to be one of her favourites and mine too for that matter.
It’s made with lovely, moist chicken cooked in a stock filled with cloves, cardamom pods and black peppercorns and served on top of beautifully spiced, fragrant rice cooked with minced meat. The best bit has to be the crunchy golden pine nuts and flaked almonds that top the rice and give it an extra bite, with a fantastic hint of nuttiness.
It’s super simple to make but looks so lovely on the table, served with plenty of lemony salad next to it. Or, if you’re like my brother, who’s a bit of a yoghurt fiend, you can enjoy it with some seasoned strained Greek yoghurt on the side. It’s delicious either way!
This Irresistible Chicken With Spiced Rice Recipe is perfect at the weekend when entertaining guests, spending an evening with the family, or as an easy lunch the next day if you’re at work and like to make the most of leftovers.
This Chicken With Spiced Rice is from hard work. It took a lot of attempts to get to this final recipe. But I don’t regret anything about it. The end result is too irresistible to my family and me. In fact, they have been nagging me about the recipe. They said they couldn’t wait to try it out at home.
Everyone knows how much I love rice, and having this recipe come to life is such a gift to me. I enjoy making this, and I know you will too. Enjoy making this dish at home!
Irresistible Chicken With Spiced Rice Recipe
Print RecipeIngredients
- 130 grams of extra lean minced lamb
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of Lebanese 7 spices
- 1 cup of basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- ½ medium chicken (any pieces you like)
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 15 black peppercorns
- 2 cup of mixed vegetables
- 4 cloves
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- When it comes to boiling chicken, I usually use a pressure cooker to save time during the week. However, if you don’t have one, don’t sweat it. Instead, grab yourself a heavy-based pot and pop your chicken pieces in. Throw in your quartered onion, peppercorns, mixed vegetables, cloves and salt, and pour boiling water from your kettle on top of the chicken until it’s covered by about 4 inches.
- If you’re using a pressure cooker, seal the lid once the chicken reaches boiling point and pressurise it. Once pressurised, turn the heat all the way down and leave to cook for a good 45 minutes, until thoroughly cooked through.
- If you’re using a standard pot, leave your chicken to boil vigorously on high heat for 10 minutes before turning the heat back down to medium and simmer until cooked through. This should take about an hour, or until thoroughly cooked, with the juices running clear.
- Turn the heat off once your chicken is cooked, and remove the pieces to cool. Don’t discard the water, though; you’re going to need it!
- Grab yourself a small pot in which to cook your rice. Add your tablespoon of vegetable oil and fry your lamb mince until browned on all sides. Next, stir in your 7 spices and continue frying until cooked through. Now, add your cup of rice to the pot and 2 cups of stock leftover from your cooked chicken.
- Bring to the boil, and as soon as it reaches boiling point, cover and turn the heat down to low, cooking for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You want to make sure the rice is fluffy and that when you stir the rice, all the water has been absorbed.
- Your chicken should have cooled enough by now for you to debone it and remove any skin. Next, tear your chicken into bite-sized pieces and discard all the bones.
- Now that your rice is cooked, you can turn it out into an excellent serving dish, topping it with the chicken pieces and sprinkling it with chives. Season with some freshly ground pepper, and enjoy a side salad or some yoghurt.
- And please, do tell me what it is you like about it!
