Whole Cinnamon Spiced Chicken and Pilaf

The elements of this dish are very simple- roast chicken, some spice and rice but the technique of cooking everything together in the same pot amplifies all the flavors and creates the most delicious, sticky, lemony unctuous cinnamon spiced pilaf.

A good amount of credit for this recipe goes to Claire Thompson who wrote the brilliant 5 O’clock Apron. Her cinnamon chicken recipe is one of our family’s favorites.

Needless to say a great chicken will give you a great finished dish, invest in the best you can.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole oven ready free range or organic chicken (1.8-2kg)

• 350g Basmati rice- rinsed well with cold water and then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 1 onion finely chopped

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 6 sprigs thyme

• ½ lemon and juice of ½ lemon

• 1 handful flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped

• Sea salt, black pepper and olive oil for cooking

You’ll need a large lidded oven proof casserole or pan for this recipe- large enough to cook the chicken and rice together.

Heat an oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Stuff the chicken cavity with the thyme, lemon and seasoning.

Heat the casserole over a medium heat and add a good lug of olive oil.  Brown the chicken all over in the pan/casserole, seasoning as you go until golden, then sprinkle over the ground cinnamon, cumin and coriander then place back in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes to further brown and par-cook the chicken.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Place the pan/casserole back over a medium heat on the hob and add a little more oil. add in the onions, garlic, cinnamon stick and bay and cook in the oily juices until softened.

Drain the rice very well and add this into the pan. Stir well to coat in the juices and then season well. pour over a glass of water at this stage and then transfer the chicken back onto the rice, press down and top with the lid.

Cook in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear.

Remove the pan/casserole from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes, lid on. The rice beneath the chicken will be cooked and delicious from all the chicken juices and fat.

Remove the chicken to a chopping board remove the legs and breasts and cut each in half.

Stir the chopped parsley and lemon juice into the rice and divide out onto serving plates- top with the chicken and serve.