chicken pilaf

Hands Down, the best of Chicken Pilaf is the Arab-styled Chicken Pilaf!!! Layers of flavour, Carbs for days and just the right amount of sweetness thanks to the raisins.

Middle Eastern Chicken Pilaf

chicken thighs

potatoes, peeled,

Biber salçası (Turkish red pepper paste)

tomato paste

lemon, juiced

olive oil

garlic clove, finely chopped

black pepper

11/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

sea salt

Sella Basmati Rice, washed

onion, finely chopped

ghee

cinnamon

bay leaves

cumin, ground,

cardamon, ground

dried ginger, ground

turmeric

baharat (*see notes)

lemon

carrots, julienne

cumin, ground

turmeric, ground

baharat*

sugar

salt and fresh pepper

raisins

almond, slivered (optional)

Make the marinade. In a small bowl, add...

Make the marinade. In a small bowl, add all of the marinade ingredients. Mix. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of marinade for the potatoes.

Marinade the chicken. Place a few spoonfuls of...

Marinade the chicken. Place a few spoonfuls of the marinade onto the chicken. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, even under the skin. It's best to let the chicken rest in the marinade for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. If you're short on time you can skip this step.

Bake chicken. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place the...

Bake chicken. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place the chicken into a baking dish. Cover with foil then place the chicken into the oven⏤set timer for 25 minutes.

Prepare potatoes. Cut the potatoes into wedges or...

Prepare potatoes. Cut the potatoes into wedges or cubes. Each potato should give you 6 wedges or 8 cubes. Place the potatoes into a bowl then add the reserved marinade to the potatoes. mix and set aside.

Remove chicken pan drippings. After 25 minutes, remove...

Remove chicken pan drippings. After 25 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven. Lift the corner of the foil and leave the rest of the foil in tack. Carefully pour out the stock from the pan into a large measure cup until you have about 1/2 cup of stock from the chicken juices.

Bake the potatoes. Remove the foil from the...

Bake the potatoes. Remove the foil from the chicken. Add the marinated potatoes to the pan with the chicken. Reseal the foil and continue cooking. Cover the chicken and potatoes with foil and continue baking for 30 minutes.

Start the rice. Once you've placed the potatoes...

Start the rice. Once you've placed the potatoes in the oven, then start the rice. Heat a 3 qt pot over medium-high heat add the olive oil, ghee and onions. Cook the onions until golden, then add the spices. Stir. Add the rice, then stir until the spices coat the rice. Pour 2½ cups of water over the rice and the chicken pan drippings and bring to a light simmer. Cover the rice and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the rice from heat, add cloth over the pot, and rest for 10 minutes.

Toast almonds if using. Heat a large non-stick...

Toast almonds if using. Heat a large non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat add oil and the almond slivers. Toast almonds until golden. Once the Almonds are toasted, remove them from the oil and set them aside.

Prepare the carrot topping. Add the carrots and...

Prepare the carrot topping. Add the carrots and spices to the pan used for the almonds. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then add the raisins and continue cooking for 3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat, add the almond into the pan and set aside until ready to use.

Assemble the pilaf and chicken. Empty the rice...

Assemble the pilaf and chicken. Empty the rice onto a large platter, then add chicken onto the middle of the rice. Place the potatoes in a circular pattern around the chicken. Scoop the carrot mixture and place it on top of the chicken and potatoes.

Serve.

This easy one-pot chicken pilaf is a flavorful and comforting meal made with basmati rice, chicken, warm spices, carrots, and raisins. Inspired by Middle Eastern flavors, this rice dish comes together in under 30 minutes—perfect for busy days. It’s fluffy, aromatic, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Easy One-Pot Chicken Pilaf

rice

oz 250 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces (any size you like)

chicken stock

oil (any neutral cooking oil)

butter

cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)

green cardamom pods

cloves

bay leaf

onion (thinly sliced)

garlic

chili

carrot

cumin seeds (lightly crushed)

allspice powder

turmeric powder

salt (to taste)

parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until it runs clear. Soak for 15–20 minutes, then drain well using a fine-mesh colander.

In a pot or deep pan, melt the clarified butter over medium heat. Add the raisins and sauté for 1–2 minutes until they puff up and turn lightly golden. Remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add the oil. Toss in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaf. Let them sizzle for a few seconds to release their aroma.

Add the sliced onion and sauté until softened and golden brown, stirring often so they don’t burn.

Stir in the chicken pieces and crushed garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until the chicken starts to turn opaque.

Sprinkle in the crushed cumin, allspice, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add the julienned carrot and stir for a minute or two to combine everything well.

Add the soaked and drained rice. Gently sauté for 1–2 minutes until the rice is slightly toasted. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the grains.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the slit chili. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Once most of the surface liquid has evaporated, return the sautéed raisins to the pot and give everything a gentle stir.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly with a lid, and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Don’t lift the lid while it cooks.

Turn off the heat. Then, sprinkle with chopped parsley, gently fluff the rice with a fork, and serve hot or warm.

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Middle Eastern Chicken Pilaf

Middle Eastern Chicken Pilaf

Easy One-Pot Chicken Pilaf

Top 3 chicken pilaf recipes from across the web

The most viewed chicken pilaf recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Middle Eastern Chicken Pilaf

Middle Eastern Chicken Pilaf

Easy One-Pot Chicken Pilaf

The most viewed chicken pilaf recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine