Lebanese chicken and rice (rez a djaj)

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Toast the 1 cup pistachios, cashews and sliced almonds in a dry nonstick pan over low heat, stirring until lightly golden. Set the toasted nuts aside.

   Uses 1 cup pistachios, cashews and sliced almonds, for toasting

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Put the quartered chicken (1) in a large stockpot without rinsing it. Add the peeled broth onion (1), carrot (1), celery (1), cinnamon stick (1), whole cloves (3–4), bay leaves (3), cardamom pods (3–4), peppercorns (Approximately 10) and 2 teaspoons broth salt with the 2 litres boiling water. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least 45 minutes, skimming foam. Check the thickest chicken meat away from bone reaches 74°C (165°F), and continue if necessary.

   Check cooked chicken · 45 minUses 1 whole chicken, quartered · 1 onion, peeled, for broth · 1 carrot, peeled · 1 celery stalk · 1 cinnamon stick · 3–4 whole cloves · 3 bay leaves · 3–4 cardamom pods

3. 3

   Step 3: While the chicken simmers, put the 3 cups dry rice in a bowl and cover with the separate soaking water. Soak for around 30 minutes, ready to drain before adding it to the meat.

   Drain soaked rice · 30 minUses 3 cups dry rice · Water to cover rice for soaking; discarded after draining

4. 4

   Step 4: When the chicken in step 2 is fully cooked, lift it onto a clean plate. Strain the broth through a fine colander into a clean pot, removing the vegetables and whole spices. Keep the cooked chicken and strained broth separate.

   Uses Complete cooked chicken-and-broth pot

5. 5

   Step 5: Take the cooked chicken from step 4 and remove the bones. Shred the meat, keeping the breast in larger chunks. Cover and keep ready during the remaining rice preparation, then assemble and serve promptly.

   Uses Cooked chicken lifted onto the plate; strained broth and discarded aromatics excluded

6. 6

   Step 6: In a wide casserole pan, heat the 2–3 tablespoons mild olive oil and sauté the finely chopped rice onion (1) over low heat until soft and translucent, around 15 minutes. Stir and watch the onion.

   Check softened rice onion · 15 minUses 1 onion, finely chopped, for rice · 2–3 tablespoons mild olive oil

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the 200 g ground beef, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon seven spice, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and approximately 1 teaspoon rice salt to the onion pan from step 6. Increase to medium heat and sauté for around 5–10 minutes, breaking the meat apart until browned and fully cooked to 71°C (160°F).

   Check browned ground beef · 5 minUses Complete softened onion-and-oil pan · 200 g ground beef · ¼ teaspoon black pepper · ½ teaspoon seven spice · ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon · Approximately 1 teaspoon salt for rice

8. 8

   Step 8: Drain the soaked rice from step 3 in a fine sieve, discarding its soaking water. Add the drained rice and the 2 tablespoons butter to the cooked beef-and-onion pan from step 7 and sauté for a few minutes.

   Uses Drained soaked rice; discarded soaking water excluded · Complete cooked beef-and-onion pan · 2 tablespoons butter

9. 9

   Step 9: Add 4½ cups of the strained chicken broth from step 4 to the rice-and-meat pan from step 8. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for around 20 minutes. Reserve the remaining strained broth for another use.

   Check rice simmer · 20 minUses Complete sautéed rice-meat-and-butter pan · 4½ cups strained chicken broth

10. 10

    Step 10: Check the rice in step 9 is fully tender with no free liquid remaining. Continue gently if needed, then fluff with a fork and transfer the cooked rice and meat to a large platter.

    Uses Complete covered rice-and-meat simmer pan

11. 11

    Step 11: Lay the shredded chicken from step 5 over the rice-and-meat platter from step 10. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts from step 1.

    Uses Complete fluffed rice-and-meat platter · Deboned shredded chicken; bones excluded · Complete toasted nut mixture

12. 12

    Step 12: Serve the chicken-and-rice platter from step 11 with ready yogurt or a separately prepared green salad if desired.

    Uses Complete assembled chicken-and-rice platter · Optional ready plain yogurt to serve · Optional separately prepared green salad to serve