Sheet Pan Turmeric Chicken and Rice

Step 1

Place sheet pan on middle rack in oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Step 2

While the oven is heating, marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, garlic, ginger, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, turmeric, coriander and pepper, and mix well.  To the large bowl, add chicken and toss until the pieces are well coated; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Step 3

While the chicken is marinating, toss the cooked rice with the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, scallion whites and 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (the best way to do this is with clean hands/or wearing gloves). Add a little more oil if needed to fully coat the rice so that it crisps up in the oven.

Step 4

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the chicken pieces, tossing well to coat.

Step 5

Use a large spoon to carefully spread the rice out on the hot sheet pan, then make divots in the rice for the chicken, making sure the sheet pan is exposed. Place chicken, skin side up, in the divots touching the pan. Drizzle the rice and chicken with a little more extra-virgin olive oil.

Step 6

Roast until the chicken is deeply browned on top, cooked through and the rice is crisp at the edges, 50 to 60 minutes.

Step 7

Stir up the rice on the baking sheet, so the crisp parts get mixed into the soft part of the rice, and the turmeric mixture gets distributed. (Taste rice and add a little more oil, lemon juice and salt if necessary; rice can take a lot of seasoning.) Top everything with scallion greens and chopped fresh cilantro, and serve.