Description
This Spiced Chicken and Rice recipe is a flavorful and comforting dish that brings together aromatic spices and tender chicken thighs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup raisins or chopped dates
- 1 cup chopped carrots (optional)
- ½ cup peas (optional)
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Start by heating olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Once the oil is shimmering, sear the chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown—about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent. Toss in the minced garlic and all the spices: cumin, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and paprika. Stir well and let them toast for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the rice, stirring to coat the grains in the oil and spices. Add chicken broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan for extra flavor. Stir in the raisins (or chopped dates) and carrots if using.
- Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pot, skin-side up. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 25–30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in peas if using. Sprinkle chopped parsley or cilantro on top and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- For a more intense flavor, marinate the chicken in the spices and olive oil for a couple of hours before cooking.
- You can substitute the raisins with dried cranberries for a different flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 150mg