One-pot spiced roast chicken with saffron rice

Name: One-pot spiced roast chicken with saffron rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1½ kg medium chicken; 1 tbsp Essential Olive Oil; 1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Vadouvan Spice Blend; Small pinch Cooks’ Ingredients Saffron; 250 g basmati rice; 1 large onion, peeled and chopped; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped; 2 red chillies, thinly sliced (deseeded if liked); 6 cardamom pods, cracked; 500 ml chicken stock, warmed; 25 g pack chopped parsley or coriander, leaves roughly chopped; 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

This is a wonderful way to cook a whole chicken, as all the juices are absorbed by the rice cooking beneath it. The vadouvan spice is a vibrant and mildy sweet mix of garlic, turmeric and chilli and brings fantastic flavour.

5 out of 5 stars(4) Rate this recipe

HealthyLow in saturated fat

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook1 hr 50 mins
Total time2 hrs

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Ingredients

1½kg medium chicken
1 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Vadouvan Spice Blend
Small pinch Cooks’ Ingredients Saffron
250g basmati rice
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 red chillies, thinly sliced (deseeded if liked)
6 cardamom pods, cracked
500ml chicken stock, warmed
½ x 25g pack chopped parsley or coriander, leaves roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Brush the chicken all over with the olive oil, then sprinkle over the spice blend and rub into the skin. Put the chicken into a flameproof casserole dish and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour 20 minutes
Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small bowl, cover with 1 tbsp just-boiled water and set aside. Cover the rice with cold water and set aside.
Carefully lift the chicken out of the casserole and onto a large plate. Place the casserole on the hob and add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook for 5-8 minutes until softened and golden.
Drain the rice and stir into the pan with the saffron, the saffron water and cardamom pods.
Place the chicken on top of the rice, pour the hot stock over the rice, cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid and return to the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, with no pink meat and juices run clear.
Scatter over the chopped herbs and serve with lemon wedges.

Cook’s tip

Serve with steamed greens or, once the chicken has been taken out of the casserole, stir chopped baby spinach into the rice and replace the lid until wilted.