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Cherry, saffron & chicken pilaf
Bursting with flavour and colour, Martha Collison's one-pot pilaf is a fantastic quick midweek meal.
Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook15 mins
Total time25 mins
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.