This Chicken Rice Pilaf is a one-pot wonder that’s a comforting meal and a perfect choice for busy weekdays. Full of delicious flavors and packed with good-for-you ingredients, this dish is a complete meal in one.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We all love a meal that's easy, tasty, and hearty. And that's exactly what this Chicken Rice Pilaf is. Here's why this recipe stands out:
- One-Pot Wonder: This recipe is all made in one pot, making it fuss-free and easy to clean up. It's perfect for family dinners and gatherings.
- Versatile: This recipe is very versatile. You can make it with pork tenderloin or chicken thighs. Cooking time would be around the same and the tastes just as good.
- Healthy: With a good balance of protein, grains, and vegetables, this dish is a wholesome meal in itself.
- Flavorful: The combination of spices, chicken, and rice creates an absolutely irresistible combination of flavors.
- Garlic Infusion: The technique of infusing the rice with whole garlic heads takes the flavor of this dish to a whole new level.
Key Ingredients
- Jasmine Rice - We use 1 ½ cup jasmine rice, which is known for its fragrant and slightly sticky texture, perfect for absorbing all the flavors in this dish.
- Chicken Drumsticks - 6 chicken drumsticks not only add a delicious, savory flavor to the pilaf, but the bones and skin also add richness to the dish.
- Turmeric and Cumin – These two spices not only add a beautiful golden color to the dish but also a warm, earthy flavor.
- Garlic - 2 bulbs of garlic provide a deep, aromatic undertone to the pilau, infusing the entire dish with their delicious flavor.
- Onion, Carrots, and Spices - They add layers of flavor and a hint of sweetness and heat to the dish.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Protein: If you're not a fan of chicken drumsticks, you can easily substitute them with an equal amount of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. We don't recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, as the bone and skin add flavor and moisture to the dish.
- Rice: While we love the fragrant and slightly sticky texture of jasmine rice in this dish, you can definitely use any other type of white rice, like basmati or long-grain rice. Just keep in mind that the cooking time and amount of liquid needed may vary.
- Spices: The combination of turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper gives this dish a warm and slightly spicy flavor. Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking or add other spices such as paprika or coriander for a different flavor profile.
- Vegetables: This recipe is very versatile when it comes to vegetables. You can add or substitute with vegetables like bell peppers, peas, or even potatoes. Just keep in mind the cooking time of the vegetables and adjust accordingly.
How to Make Chicken Rice Pilaf
Step 1: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
Step 2: In a large pot, heat olive oil and cook chicken drumsticks on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side. Add onions and carrots and cook for another 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add spices and mix well. Then, add rice and water. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Insert garlic heads into the rice, cover with a lid, and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Chicken Rice Pilaf
Vegetables
- This dish pairs well with a fresh, crisp salad. Try a Russian vinaigrette salad and heirloom tomato salad for a delicious combination.
- If you want to incorporate more vegetables into the meal, consider adding some air fryer carrots, candied butternut squash, vegan beet salad, or Mediterranean asparagus on the side.
Soups
- This dish can be served with a light soup on the side, such as a classic chicken noodle soup or a vegetable broth-based soup.
- For a heartier meal, try a creamy soup like vegan potato soup or vegetable bean soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rinsing the rice helps to remove excess starch, which can make the rice sticky. It also helps to get rid of any impurities. For a fluffy and separated pilaf, rinsing the rice is important.
The garlic is used to infuse the rice with its flavor. After the pilaf is cooked, turn off the heat and insert the garlic, exposed head down, into the rice. Then cover the pot with a lid and let the garlic infuse the rice.
The pilaf is ready when the rice has absorbed all the water and is fully cooked. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes. You can also check by tasting the rice to make sure it's not too hard.
Chicken rice pilaf can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and flavor.
Recipe
Chicken Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup jasmine rice
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 1 large onion minced
- 4 medium carrots julienned
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bulbs garlic
- olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse the rice 3-5 times until water runs clear.
- In Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pan and on the medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add chicken drumsticks and cook them for 10 minutes on each side, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking.
- Add onion and carrots and give everything a nice stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 more minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper and mix everything well.
- Add rice and hot water so that it was approximately 1 inch above the rice level. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and gently stir water above the rice.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes until water has absorbed.
- Wash and cut ¼ inch off garlic heads to expose cloves.
- Turn off the heat and insert garlic exposed head down into pilaf. Cover with a lid and let the garlic infuse the rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Petro says
Wonderful!
Eve Hunt says
"Oh mmmyyyy, i love that recipe! Perhaps one of the best chicken breast recipes I came across to. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I'd love to try that this coming weekend.
"
Iryna says
You're welcome Eve:)
Lana says
Does it have to be drumsticks? Can thighs be used instead?
Iryna says
Yes, you can use thighs.
Glinda Goetzinger says
i agree, like your article and your web log well done!