Middle Eastern Chicken And Rice Food

EASY ONE-POT CHICKEN AND RICE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the spices to make the spice mixture. Set aside for now.
• Pat chicken thighs dry and cut them into large pieces (I simply cut each in half). Season well with salt, then season with the spice mixture. Work the chicken with clean hands to make sure all the pieces are well-coated with the spice mixture. Set at room temperature for 20 minutes or so (if you have the time).
• In a large and deep cooking skillet with a lid, heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the chicken briefly on both sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside for now.
• To the same skillet, now add onions, carrots, and frozen peas. Cook for 4 minutes or so, tossing regularly, until tender. Add the chickpeas and rice. Season with salt, 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom. Stir to combine.
• Add the chicken back to the skillet (nestle the pieces in the rice). Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until fully cooked.
• Remove from the heat, garnish with parsley.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 3 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, the apricots, cumin, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium high; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low; stir, then cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the spinach (do not stir). Let sit, covered, until wilted, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cookuntil golden, about 3 minutes per side. Drizzle with the lemon juice.
• Fold the spinach into the rice and serve with the chicken. Divide the rice and chicken among plates. Thin the yogurt with 1 teaspoon water; drizzle over the chicken. Sprinkle with the almonds.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE CHICKEN, VEGGIES AND RICE

Steps:

• Prepare the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large deep skillet over high heat. Add the green beans and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir-fry until the green beans and peppers are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the shredded chicken, rice, spice blend and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until no excess liquid remains, about 1 minute. Season with salt.
• Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the parsley and pine nuts and serve.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the chicken breasts in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle the chicken with the fresh lemon juice, combine spices and sprinkle over chicken, top with slivers of garlic.
• Pour the rinsed chickpeas over and then the tomatoes. Place dish in preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes.
• Serve with couscous or rice.

MAHA SARSOUR'S MAQLUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.
• To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don't season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)
• Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.
• Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.
• Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
• Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

MIDDLE-EASTERN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix yogurt, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Marinate chicken in yogurt mixture for 1-2 hours.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they are becoming tender. Add chicken/marinade and apricots and continue to cook. After about five minutes, add orange juice and chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• With a spoon, add some of the hot cooking liquid to a bowl. Mix with cornstarch until smooth, and return this mixture to the saucepan. Stir constantly until thickened. At this point, you may wish to add additional amounts of cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Serve with basmati rice. Note: for additional flavor, cook rice with chicken broth.