Ingredients
| seeds from 20 cardamom pods, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar | |
| 1½ teaspoons paprika | |
| 1½ teaspoons dried oregano | |
| 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon | |
| 4 tablespoons olive oil | |
| 6 large chicken thighs (or 8 smaller ones), bone in, skin on | |
| 150g wheat vermicelli noodles, broken into roughly 3-4cm lengths | |
| 1 onion, finely chopped | |
| 2 cinnamon sticks | |
| 3 fresh bay leaves | |
| 250g basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, then soaked for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours, then drained | |
| 20g unsalted butter, cut into 6-8 cubes | |
| fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| TO SERVE | |
| 5g parsley, roughly chopped | |
| ½ lemon |
This one-pot chicken and rice is a dinner-time winner, and a go-to meal I’ll make when I’m not sure what to cook. It gives you everything you need really: protein power, carb comfort and joy in the form of crispy edges.
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Instructions
| 1. | In a large bowl combine the cardamom, paprika, oregano, ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper. |
| 2. | Add the chicken, coat well and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate for longer if getting ahead. |
| 3. | If the latter, remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you start cooking. |
| 4. | Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C. |
| 5. | Place a large, lidded, non-stick, ovenproof sauté pan over a medium heat. |
| 6. | Once hot, add the noodles and toast, stirring often, until deeply brown, about 10-12 minutes. |
| 7. | Transfer the toasted noodles to a plate, then return the pan to a medium- high heat. |
| 8. | Add half the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes or until nicely coloured. |
| 9. | Turn the pieces over and cook on the other side for 2 minutes more. |
| 10. | Transfer to a tray or plate and repeat with the other half. |
| 11. | Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and a tiny pinch of salt and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned. |
| 12. | Add the rice, toasted vermicelli and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for a minute more, stirring continuously. |
| 13. | Pour in 720ml of hot water, give everything a stir, then top with the chicken thighs (don’t push them into the rice), skin-side up, along with any of their juices. |
| 14. | Cover and transfer to the oven for 40 minutes. |
| 15. | Remove from the oven and turn up the temperature to 220°C fan/240°C. |
| 16. | Top each chicken thigh with a cube of butter, then bake, lid off, for 10 minutes more, or until the chicken is nice and crisp and the edges of the pan are browned. |
| 17. | Take out of the oven and let it settle for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the chicken thighs onto a tray or plate. |
| 18. | Use a slotted spoon to gently loosen the rice, then place a very large platter on top of the pan. |
| 19. | In one swift movement, and using a tea towel to help you, carefully invert the whole thing onto it. |
| 20. | You should have some nice, crisped-up rice around the top and edges. |
| 21. | Use a small serrated knife to break apart the crispy rice (the tahdig) into random chunks, then top with the chicken thighs. |
| 22. | Sprinkle over the parsley, squeeze over the lemon half and serve warm. |
This is an edited
extract from
Lugma: Abundant
Dishes And Stories
From My Middle
East by Noor
Murad, published
by Quadrille.
Photography by
Matt Russell and
Matt Wardle.