Middle-Eastern Inspired Chicken and Rice
Our dietitians' favouriteMiddle-Eastern cuisine is known for its deliciously savoury dishes and this one is a worthy example. Try our take on it (it includes milk!) – you’ll love it!
- Prep: 20 min
- Cooking: 40 min - 45 min
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup (250 mL) Milk
- 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast
- Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large onion minced
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
- 3/4 lb (335 g) ground lamb or ground beef
- 1 - 1/2 cups (375 mL) long grain rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground Jamaican pepper
- 2/3 cup (160 mL) slivered almonds toasted
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) pine nuts toasted (optional)
- Ground cinnamon
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Preparation
In a pot, combine cinnamon stick, milk, chicken broth, chicken and seasonings. Bring to a full boil, reduce the heat and poach, uncovered, for 8 min. Remove from heat, cover and set aside 10 min at room temperature to finish cooking. Strain the chicken, reserving the cinnamon stick and the cooking liquid for later.
Meanwhile, in a pan, sweat the onion in butter for 5 min without browning. Add lamb and cook about 8 min, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon or a fork.
Add the rice, reserved cinnamon stick, bay leaves and spices. Add salt and pepper. Stir 2 min. Add 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) of the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a full boil, reduce heat and cook over very low heat for about 15 min.
While the rice is cooking, shred the chicken and reserve in a warm oven.
Arrange the rice on a serving platter. Top with the shredded chicken and sprinkle with the roasted almonds and pine nuts. At the last minute, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon. Serve with your favorite green vegetable.
Tips
You may use breasts or thighs or a combination of the two, so long as the meat is skinless and boneless.
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Nutritional information
Per serving| Energy: | 509 Calories |
| Protein: | 36 g |
| Carbohydrate: | 45 g |
| Fat: | 20 g |
| Fibre: | 2.7 g |
| Sodium: | 361 mg |
Top 5 Nutrients
| (% DV*) | |
|---|---|
| Calcium: | 11 % / 121 mg |
| Vitamin B12: | 88 % |
| Selenium: | 85 % |
| Niacin: | 60 % |
| Folate: | 58 % |
