Kenyan Chicken Pilau
One portion, 44 minutes, and only 10 minutes of chopping.
Per portion
Calories from protein 19%, carbs 41%, fat 40%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £1.90 a portion.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion for 10 minutes until soft and golden.
- 2
Add the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3
Add the chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes until browned. Cooking for three or more? Do this in batches so the pan stays hot and everything browns, then put it all back.
- 4
Stir in the rice to coat in the spices, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. If the pan looks dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of water. Take off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork. Cooking for more? Once it boils, let it bubble uncovered for 2–3 minutes before you cover it, and allow a few minutes longer: keep it covered until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. A bigger batch takes longer to reduce: go by how it looks, not the clock.
- 5
Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then fluff with a fork and scatter with coriander to serve.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/kenyan-chicken-pilau/
