One Pot Chicken and Rice Pilaff

“One pot wonder” is how the Lidl webpage sells this recipe, but it should come with a cautionary note that it’s only a one pot wonder if you own the right pot. Luckily, I do. I’ve made this dish a few times and it always goes down well, mostly because there are no evident vegetables, the leeks are chopped so finely that it’s difficult for the person who put them in the dish to find them!

It reheats well and can be eaten cold the next day too, I brought it to work for lunch with spinach, tomatoes and peppers.

Note – you need to either use a pot that can go on the hob and in the oven and has a lid (I use a Le Creuset wedding present, Dunnes sell similar). If you don’t have one then transfer from the pan to an oven safe dish with a lid before putting in the oven.

  

One Pot Chicken and Leek Pilaff

400g Easy Cook Brown Rice (I use the Aldi or Tesco one, you can use white rice either just cut the cooking time)

500g chicken breast fillets (about 3 chicken breasts)

125g Pancetta Cubes/Lardons (or leave them out)

2 Leeks 

50g Butter

1  Chicken Stock Cube (I use Knorr Stock Pots)

1 pinch ground cinnamon or curry powder  (I used cinnamon)

Salt and pepper

Optional: 

Fresh chopped herbs- coriander or parsley 

Mango chutney, sour cream mixed together

*The original recipe serves with a mango chutney and sour cream sauce but it would be equally good with sweet chili I think, or even a curry sauce, or you might like it dry, or with a garlic sauce. In the photo I used a blob of sour cream and a blob of mango chutney.

Pre-heat your oven to 170°C.

Wash the leeks, cut them in half then shred them into tiny thin pieces.

Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Melt the butter in a large over a medium heat, when melted add your chicken and brown gently for a couple of minutes. 

Then add the bacon and cook for about another further minute before adding the leeks. 

Stir it lol together then make your stock with 800mls of hot water to one stock cube (the pack says 500ml, don’t worry about that). 

Then add the  rice and cinnamon/curry powder and mix well, finally add your stock, salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer, place a lid on top and then put in the oven to cook- white rice will take 25 minutes, easy cook brown about 40mins, regular brown rice longer again. 

When it’s cooked you’ll need to fluff the rice up gently with a fork, then the recipe recommends  placing a clean tea towel over the top of the pot without the lid on and leaving it for a few minutes, this will remove any excess moisture.When you take off the tea towel stir through any fresh herbs you want to add (or add to your own portion of the kids don’t like green).

Serve with your chosen sauces, you can mix the sour cream and mango chutney 

Original Recipe by Paul Flynn for Lidl- view it here.

http://www.lidl.ie/en/3991.htm