Middle Eastern chicken and rice

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 (sub packet frozen spinach, thawed)
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) basmati rice, rinsed well
• 2 cups (500 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)

Directions

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.