This is a perfect spring recipe. So tasty, so comforting, so beautiful! Creamy rice, tender chicken and a divine cilantro sauce on top. All the flavours and textures are present. Make it. Love it!
Chicken
-2 chicken breasts
-1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
-½ lemon, juiced
-2 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp smoked paprika
-⅓ tsp ground turmeric
-½ tsp ground coriander
-½ tsp ground cumin
-½ tsp oregano
-1 tbsp chipotle in adobo, finely diced
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tbsp vegetable oil
-½ tbsp butter
1 In a bowl, mix the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, ground turmeric, coriander and cumin, oregano, chipotle and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the mixture over the chicken on all sides, cover and let it rest inside the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Rice
-1 cup of rice, rinsed and drained
-½ white onion, diced
-1 red pepper, diced
-1 medium carrot, sliced
-2 ¼ cups of chicken stock or
-2 ¼ cups of water + ½ chicken stock cube
-yoghurt mixture from the chicken (any left)
-1 tbsp vegetable oil (more if needed)
-1 tbsp butter
Chicken Rice Pilaf
1 Place a medium/large pan over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and butter. Once hot, sear the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Once the chicken has gained some browning, remove it from the pan and set aside.
2 If more oil is needed, add a bit more at this stage. Add the rice, carrots, onions and pepper and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir often.
3 Add the water or chicken stock to the rice and vegetables and all the yoghurt mix leftover from the chicken marinade. Stir until combined and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning here.
4 Return the chicken pieces to the pan and nest them over the rice. Lower the heat to a minimum and cover the pan. Allow cooking for 15 minutes and let it rest, uncovered for at least 10 more minutes. Check the rice instructions to adjust the cooking time.
Coriander Sauce
-3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
-3 tbsp mayonnaise
-2 tbsp lemon juice
-1 garlic clove
-1 whole pickled jalapeno or 1 heaped tbsp of diced/sliced jalapenos
-a generous handful of fresh coriander
-salt to taste
-1 tsp or more of pickled jalapeno brine for flavour and consistency (optional)
1 Bend all the ingredients together until smooth. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- The rice in this recipe is cooked in a yoghurt and spices mix which makes it creamy and tasty!
- You can grill lemon slices at the same time you are searing the chicken. You can also place these slices over the chicken when cooking but it is not necessary.
- Adding this amount of chipotle in adobo doesn’t make this dish spicy but it does add beautiful depth and smokiness. For an added kick, add double the amount suggested.
- The cilantro sauce is divine! We love it on this dish but also love it as a regular salad dressing and generously mixed into guacamole! Absolutely beautiful stuff! Using pickled jalapenos adds such a lovely tangy edge to sauces and meals!
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