Cherry, saffron & chicken pilaf

Name: Cherry, saffron & chicken pilaf
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 30 g butter; 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced; 250 g basmati rice; 1 large pinch saffron; 300 g pack No.1 Free Range Corn Fed Diced Chicken Breast; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Sour Cherries; 500 ml chicken stock; 100 g cherries, pitted and halved; 35 g pistachios, roughly chopped; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Bursting with flavour and colour, Martha Collison's one-pot pilaf is a fantastic quick midweek meal.

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Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook15 mins
Total time25 mins

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Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
30g butter
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
250g basmati rice
1 large pinch saffron
300g pack No.1 Free Range Corn Fed Diced Chicken Breast
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Sour Cherries
500ml chicken stock
100g cherries, pitted and halved
35g pistachios, roughly chopped
1/2 x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish, then add the onion. Cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are soft and beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, wash the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear. Set aside. Crush the saffron strands between your fingertips into a small ramekin, pour over 2 tbsp hot water, then leave to infuse.
Add the chicken to the onions and fry for 2 minutes, or until browned all over – try not to cook for too long at this stage or the chicken will dry out. Add the rice, cinnamon and sour cherries and stir to combine.
Pour in the stock, season, then stir briefly to make sure all the grains of rice are covered. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and turn the heat down as low as you can and cook for 13 minutes. Open the lid and stir in the saffron and its liquid, ½ the pitted cherries, ½ the pistachios and most of the parsley. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes, or until soft all the way through, and the chicken is cooked through with no pink meat and the juices run clear.
Turn off the heat and take off the lid. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel, then place the lid over the top. This will absorb any excess moisture. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and top with the remaining herbs, nuts and fruit.