This recipe is enough for 4 people as a main course
You can make this into a meat free dish by using chick peas and sweet potato wedges (see below)
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken leg quarters, cut into thigh and leg portion (skin on)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil/rape seed oil
- 2 tablespoons currants
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- salt and pepper
- 300g basmati rice
- 550ml boiling water
- 2 tangerines or 1 orange, cut into thin rings – rind on
- 1 lemon, cut into thin rings – rind on
- up to 3 tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley and coriander
- You need a pan which will hold all the ingredients and has a tightly fitting lid.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pan and sauté the onions until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat another 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the chicken pieces, cloves and coriander seeds- brown for about 5 minutes on each side. (The chicken needs to start cooking at this point)
- Remove the chicken pieces and set aside
- Add the remainder of the oil and the cinnamon sticks which you have roughly broken into about 3 pieces each.
- Now add the currants and rice. Lightly coat the rice, adding 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Return the onions to the pan, stir in well.
- Place the chicken pieces and citrus slices in the rice – add the boiling water. Put the lid on and turn the heat down as low as possible.
- Leave for 25 – 30 minutes – the rice and chicken should now be cooked. Remove the lid and take a clean tea towel, place this over the mixture in the pan, return the lid and allow to steam, with the heat turned off for 10 – 20 minutes.
- Remove tea towel and stir in herbs and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- This is delicious served with a baby leaf spinach and rocket salad and yoghurt or crème fraiche.
Variations:
Add: a hint of chilli more lemon and no orange; some fennel seeds; replace the chicken with 1 tin, drained cooked chickpeas and 8 – 12 uncooked sweet potato wedges.