Step 1

Preheat oven to 375F. Season the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix together very well. Add the eggplant last when marinating.

Step 2

Place the vegetables flat onto a lightl oiled baking pan. Bake for 30-40 mnutes flipping them halfway through until the vegetables are tender. The vegetables you choose are optional. I did eggplant, cauliflower, and some carrots for this variation.

Step 3

In the meantime, add the chicken to a pot with water and the other broth ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer. Remove any residue that may come up to the surface. Allow chicken to cook for about 15-20 minutes until its internal temperature reaches 155 F. Drain and reserve the chicken broth to be used as the cooking liquod for the rice.

Step 4

Then, add the chicken to a baking pan. Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour on top of the chicken. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or so until the internal temp reaches 165F. After baking, if there is any leftover marinade in the pan; set it aside.

Step 5

Set chicken and veggies aside once they are tender and cooked.

Step 6

At this point, season the rice with salt, pepper, oil, and seven spice. Mix together very well.

Step 7

Time to assemble. Spray pot of choice with nonstick spray, add a sprinkling of rice to the bottom of the pot, then start lining all the vegetables. Then, wedge the chicken pieces into the vegetables. Add all the rice to the top of this evenly.

Step 8

Mix together 3 cups of broth with any leftover marinade from the chicken and pour over the rice. You may need more liquid; but the liquid should just cover the rice by an inch or two and not more.

Step 9

Bring to a light boil and then simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes until all the liquid has been evaporated and the rice is cooked perfectly.

Step 10

Then, flip the pot over a larger serving plate. Give it a nice tap on top and then slowly lift the pot. You may have some bits stuck to the bottom of the pot; those crispy parts are my favorite!

Step 11

Enjoy with plain yogurt and a refreshing salad!