One Skillet Oven Baked Chicken Shawarma and Rice Pilaf
This combines two of my favourite Middle Eastern foods into one pot - Chicken Shawarma and Rice Pilaf. The Chicken Shawarma is the same recipe as the one I use for grilling (recipe here) with just quantities adjusted to suit using thigh cutlets cooked on the stove. The rice pilaf has been adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's Chicken with Cardamon Rice recipe from his cookbook "Jerusalem" (one of my all time favourite cookbooks!). Note that this is not an authentic way of preparing Chicken Shawarma! Real Shawarma is cooked on a rotisserie then shaved and served in a kebab. This is my one pot rice version - Shawarma flavours, made in one pot with rice!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Chicken, Dinner, One Pot
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 5
Calories: 604cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
Spice Rub
1large garlic clove, minced (or 2 small cloves)
1 1/2tspground coriander
1 1/2tspground cumin
1tspground cardamom
1tspsmoked paprika(or ordinary is fine)
1tspcayenne pepper(optional)
1/2tspsalt
Black pepper
3tbsplemon juice
Chicken and Rice
5chicken thigh fillets, bone in, skin on - about 2 lb / 1kg in total (Note 1)
1/2tbspolive oil
1small onion, finely diced
2garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2cupslong grain rice, uncooked (Note 2)
1 1/2cupschicken broth(or water)
2cupswater
3/4 - 1tspsalt
Black pepper
1 1/2tspcardamon powder
2cinnamon sticks(or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder)
400g (14oz)can chickpeas, drained (1 can)
1/4cupraisins or sultanas(optional)
Garnish (optional)
Yoghurt(plain, unsweetened. Greek yoghurt is great)
Cilantro/coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Mix the Spice Rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Slather onto the chicken, covering both sides.
Optional: Marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 3)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until light golden brown.
Remove chicken from skillet. Scrape off excess black bits stuck to the pan and discard, along with excess oil (but leave some to cook the onion).
Add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes until translucent.
Add rice and stir so the grains are coated in oil and become a bit translucent.
Add remaining ingredients. Place the chicken on top - it should be half submerged with the skin above the surface. Pour in the juices from the plate as well.
Bring to simmer, then place a lid on (or cover with foil) and transfer to oven.
Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Remove chicken from the rice and mix the rice quickly (to evenly distribute flavour).
Serve, garnished with cilantro/coriander and parsley if desired. I also like to serve it with a bit of plain yoghurt. (Note 4)
Notes
1. You can make this with any other cut of chicken, you just need to adjust the length of time it is in the oven. - Drumsticks and large breast fillets - follow recipe - Small to medium chicken breast fillets - bake for 25 to 35 minutes, so put it in the oven 10 to 15 minutes after the rice has been in the oven - Boneless skinless thigh fillets - put in oven on the rice after the rice has been in the oven for 15 minutes Also, if you want to make this with chicken breast fillets, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the Marinade, otherwise it will be too dry to sear.2. This can be made with white long grain or medium grain rice. Jasmin and basmati will work too. Short grain white rice can be used as a last resort. This recipe is not suitable for arborio (risotto rice), calasparra (paella rice) or brown rice (takes too long to cook in the oven).3. The flavours of the spice rub are quite strong. So as long as you get a bit of skin/chicken surface with each bite, there is plenty of flavour even without marinating. Plus, because it is half braised, there is extra flavour from the braising liquid too.4. Yoghurt - you can fancy up the yoghurt a bit if you want. If I'm cooking for company, I will make a yoghurt sauce with 1 1/2 cups of yoghurt, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.5. This makes more rice than for 5 servings. I think it makes enough for 7 servings.6. The nutrition analysis below takes into account that I discard 3 tablespoons of fat that rendered out when I browned the chicken and that this recipe makes enough rice for 7 servings.