Chicken Pilaf Recipes

ONE-POT CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion for 5-6 mins until softened. Add the chicken pieces, fry for a further couple of mins just to colour the outside, then stir in curry paste and rice. Cook for another min.
• Pour in the chicken stock and throw in any larger bits of frozen veg. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 10 mins, then stir in the remaining veg. Scatter over the spinach, cover, then cook for 10 mins more until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender. Give everything a good stir, season to taste, then tuck in.

CHICKEN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until the onion softens and has become translucent.
• Add the carrots and celery, season with half the salt and pepper, stir then cook for 3 more minutes, until the celery and carrots soften a bit.
• Add the chopped chicken, season with remaining salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
• Add the rice, chicken broth and stir. Add the bay leaves and half and half; stir. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the skillet or pot. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked.
• Stir in the peas and cook for 2 more minutes or until the peas are cooked. Garnish with parsley and more pepper.
• Serve warm sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if preferred.

EASY PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare a 1 quart baking dish with butter.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the onion in the butter until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the rice; cook until the rice is slightly golden. Pour in the chicken broth. Season with the salt. Simmer another 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the broth is completely absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Fluff with a fork to serve.

SEARED CHICKEN BREAST WITH RICE PILAF

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil a pinch of crushed red pepper and kosher salt to taste. Set aside.
• Pat the chicken skin dry and season liberally with kosher salt. Heat a large saute pan with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down into the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until golden on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a sheet tray lined with a wire rack. Reserve the pan that the chicken was cooked in, including the fat. Brush the chicken with the rosemary and garlic mixture. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
• Heat the pan that the chicken was cooked in over medium heat. Add the flour to the pan and stir with the fat to create a roux; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock and a pinch of salt, then cook until the sauce has thickened, 5 minutes.
• For the pilaf: Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan and turn on the heat to medium-high. Add the shallot, season with salt and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and stir to toast for 2 minutes, ensuring the olive oil and shallot have fully coated the rice. Add the chicken stock and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• To serve: Plate a scoop of the rice, sliced chicken and gravy. Serve with green beans and garnish with chives if using.

TOMATO AND COCONUT CHICKEN OVER SPICED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• For the rice: Soak the rice in 4 cups of cold water for 30 minutes.
• For the chicken: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season all sides of the chicken with salt. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to carefully add the pieces, skin-side down, to the oil. Do not crowd the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the skin is browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and brown the other side, another 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a clean baking sheet and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add the garlic and onions. Add the red pepper flakes and some salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic and onions turn light brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up in a single layer in the sauce. Pour any juices into the sauce as well. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Taste for seasoning. Keep warm.
• To cook the rice: While the chicken is cooking, heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• On a baking sheet, combine the cumin, fennel, cayenne and cinnamon stick. Lightly toast the spices in the oven, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter and onion. Season with salt and cook until the onion is translucent but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice, reserving the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear it crackling, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved water. Season with salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before "forking" it gently onto plates. Spoon the chicken and sauce over the rice and serve.

CHICKEN CARROT PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, add the rice, carrots, onion, mushrooms and red pepper. Cook and stir until rice is browned and onion is tender. , Stir in broth. Place chicken over rice mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200/180/Gas 6.
• Toast the pine nuts in an ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish, then remove and set aside.
• Heat the oil in the ovenproof casserole dish and soften the onion with the turmeric for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken thighs, then cook for 3-4 minutes until browned all over.
• Tip in the rice, sultanas and 700ml of the stock, then bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, checking halfway and adding more stock if it looks a little dry.
• Cook until the chicken is done and the rice tender. Season to taste, then stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve sprinkled with coriander leaves.

RED PEPPER CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and add the cooking oil. Sautee the peppers until they are tender, about 10 minutes. After about the first 8 minutes, add the garlic in with the peppers. Transfer the drained peppers and garlic to a bowl. Reserve remaining oil in the skillet.
• Pour the flour into a lunch-sized paper bag. Pat each chicken breast dry and, one at a time, shake the breasts in the bag to coat each with flour. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet and brown them on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and put the peppers back in, adding the broth and the wine. Deglaze any chicken bits with your spatula. Turn the heat to medium high and reduce the liquid to a sauce texture.
• Return the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 more minutes over medium heat. Season with the salt and pepper.
• Pour the warmed rice on a large platter, pour the chicken and peppers over it, and garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve family style.