Chicken Pilaf In A Pie Food

TASTY CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Add the sunflower oil to a large saucepan (one with a lid) and tip in the onions, fry them for around 5 minutes.
• Add the curry paste - and mix into the onions.
• Add the chicken breast pieces - and fry with the onions for around 7-8 minutes until almost cooked through.
• Tip in the rice - mix well to combine all the flavours.
• Pour in the chicken stock and add the frozen spinach, mix everything together bring to the boil and then reduce the pan to a simmer. Put the lid on and cook for around 20 minutes, or until the rice is nice and fluffy and the chicken cooked through properly.
• Check the chicken pilaf after around 10 minutes of cooking - if it's looking a little dry, you may need to add some more liquid - I just add boiling water straight from the kettle.
• Prepare the chicken pilaf garnishes - toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan until golden. Finely chop the chilli and roughly chop the coriander.
• To serve - divide between four bowls and scatter over the garnishes.

CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil over a medium heat until just hot. Add the chicken pieces in two batches and brown both sides for about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove all the chicken and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan and if things are sticking, a little water (¼ cup) - stir for about 4-5 minutes to soften the onion. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute before adding the baharat, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper and tomato. Stir to combine and let it gently fry for 1 minute or so.Return the chicken to the pan with about ½ cup water. Stir to coat the chicken in the sauce then pop on a lid. Turn the heat to medium/low so that it's bubbling, but not furiously.Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the rice and then pour into the pan with the chicken. Stir the chicken into the rice very briefly before pouring in the stock. Shake the pan to submerge everything. Try not to stir the rice. Let this come to a simmer.
• Turn the heat down to low so that the rice is barely bubbling. Pop on the lid and leave the pan for 25-30 minutes. After that time, all the liquid should be gone.If it's not, make a few holes to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and let the rice cook for a few more minutes until dry.Remove from the heat.
• While the rice is cooking, heat the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the nuts for 1-2 minutes until just turning brown. Drain on paper towels and leave to cool. You can chop them or leave whole.
• Remove the lid from the rice, then place a clean tea towel over the pan. Return the lid and wrap up the tea towel. Leave the pan for 30 minutes - this will help create the perfect fluffy texture.
• After 30 minutes, fluff up the rice a little with a fork or spoon, sprinkle over the nuts and then serve. Serve in portions or from the pan in the centre of the table.

ONE-POT CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion for 5-6 mins until softened. Add the chicken pieces, fry for a further couple of mins just to colour the outside, then stir in curry paste and rice. Cook for another min.
• Pour in the chicken stock and throw in any larger bits of frozen veg. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 10 mins, then stir in the remaining veg. Scatter over the spinach, cover, then cook for 10 mins more until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender. Give everything a good stir, season to taste, then tuck in.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, thyme and chives in a food processor and pulse a few times to evenly combine. Add the butter and pulse 7 or 8 times until the butter is in pea-size bits. Add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse just until the dough starts to come together into a ball. (Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons ice water if the dough is too dry.) Form the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling, at least 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Pile the 2 crushed garlic cloves, bay leaf, lemon peel, peppercorns and coriander seeds on a square of cheesecloth. Bring the corners together to form a pouch and tie with a piece of kitchen twine.
• Combine the chicken, chicken broth and cheesecloth pouch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate using tongs. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard the cheesecloth pouch. Wipe out the saucepan; return the strained broth to the pan and keep at a very gentle simmer over low heat. Shred the chicken using 2 forks.
• Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the potato, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until the potato is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and the thyme and cook until softened, 1 minute. Add the vinegar and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until the vegetables are evenly coated. Pour in 1 3/4 cups of the strained chicken broth (save the rest for another use). Bring to a gentle boil and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Add the shredded chicken, parsley and peas and stir to combine and heat through; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate and let cool until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes.
• Bake the pot pie: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into an 11-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Place it over the filling. Roll the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges with your fingers. Cut vents in the top of the dough. Beat the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush the crust all over with the egg wash. Place the pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200/180/Gas 6.
• Toast the pine nuts in an ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish, then remove and set aside.
• Heat the oil in the ovenproof casserole dish and soften the onion with the turmeric for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken thighs, then cook for 3-4 minutes until browned all over.
• Tip in the rice, sultanas and 700ml of the stock, then bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, checking halfway and adding more stock if it looks a little dry.
• Cook until the chicken is done and the rice tender. Season to taste, then stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve sprinkled with coriander leaves.

PERSIAN CHICKEN PILAF

Steps:

• Toss chicken with paprika, cinnamon and cardamom.
• In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the chicken, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from skillet, set aside.
• In same skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onion; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in rice pilaf mix, contents of Spice Sack, broth, apricots, and orange zest; bring to a boil.
• Cover; reduce heat to low.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in reserved chicken and almonds.
• Cover; continue to simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

CHICKEN PILAF WITH PINE NUTS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Chop chicken into bit size pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper all over chicken.
• In large nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate; pour off fat in pan.
• Add butter and remaining oil to pan; heat until butter is foaming. Add onion and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in pine nuts and currants; cook, stirring, until the pine nuts are browned, about 3 minutes (watch carefully as they can go from brown to burnt very quickly).
• Add rice, allspice, cumin and remaining salt, cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat rice.
• Add the chicken stock. Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture, bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low to very low (depending on heat of your stovetop), cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork.