One Skillet Oven Baked Chicken Shawarma and Rice Pilaf

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare a large ovenproof skillet with a lid or foil. Mince both garlic portions and dice the onion before heating the pan.

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the rub garlic (1 large), coriander (1½ tsp), cumin (1½ tsp), rub cardamom (1 tsp), paprika, optional cayenne (1 tsp), rub salt (½ tsp) and pepper and lemon juice (3 tbsp) in a bowl. Coat both sides of all five chicken thighs with the whole rub.

   Uses 1 large garlic clove, minced, for the rub · 1½ tsp ground coriander · 1½ tsp ground cumin · 1 tsp ground cardamom, for the rub · 1 tsp smoked paprika · 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional · ½ tsp salt, for the rub · Black pepper, to taste, for the rub

3. 3

   Step 3: Either cook the coated chicken from step 2 straight away, or cover and marinate it in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. If skipping marination, continue directly to step 4.

   Optional refrigerated chicken marination · 60 minUses five thighs coated with the complete spice-and-lemon rub

4. 4

   Step 4: When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Heat the half tablespoon olive oil in the ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add all the coated thighs from step 3 skin-side down and cook the first face about five minutes, until lightly golden; turn in step 5.

   Turn skin-side-down chicken · 5 minUses five coated thighs after the selected refrigerated marination or direct route · ½ tbsp olive oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Turn the thighs and pan contents from step 4 and cook the second face about five minutes, until lightly golden. This is browning before the oven phase, so the chicken need not yet be fully cooked.

   Lift browned chicken after second face · 5 minUses browning thighs with rub and pan oil

6. 6

   Step 6: Lift the browned chicken from step 5 onto a plate, keeping its collected juices. Scrape off and discard excess blackened bits in the skillet. Pour away excess oil and rendered fat, leaving enough in the pan to cook the onion.

   Uses browned chicken and rendered pan fat

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the rice garlic (2) and onion (1) to the retained pan fat from step 6. Cook about two minutes until translucent.

   Add uncooked pilaf rice · 2 minUses retained pan fat after removing the chicken and discarding excess · 1 small onion, finely diced · 2 garlic cloves, minced, for the rice

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir the uncooked rice into the onion-and-garlic pan from step 7 until the grains are coated in the retained fat and beginning to look translucent.

   Uses translucent onion and garlic in retained pan fat · 1½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the chicken broth (1½ cups), two cups water, rice salt (¾–1 tsp) and pepper, rice cardamom (1½ tsp), cinnamon sticks (2), drained chickpeas (1 can) and optional raisins (¼ cup) to the rice pan from step 8. Arrange all the browned thighs from the plate in step 6 on top, half submerged with skin above the liquid. Pour in all juices collected on that plate.

   Uses coated rice with onion and garlic · all browned thighs and their collected plate juices · 1½ cups chicken broth · 2 cups water · ¾–1 tsp salt, for the rice · 1½ tsp ground cardamom, for the rice · 2 cinnamon sticks · 1 can chickpeas, 400 g net weight, drained

10. 10

    Step 10: Bring the complete chicken-and-rice skillet from step 9 to a simmer. Cover with its lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven.

    Uses complete seasoned chicken and rice skillet with liquids

11. 11

    Step 11: Bake the covered skillet from step 10 for 35 minutes, then uncover it for step 12.

    Uncover chicken and rice · 35 minUses covered simmering chicken-and-rice skillet

12. 12

    Step 12: Remove the lid or foil from the skillet in step 11 and bake uncovered for a further ten minutes. Check for tender rice and chicken cooked to at least 74°C at its thickest part without touching bone; continue as needed if either is not done.

    Check uncovered chicken and rice · 10 minUses chicken-and-rice skillet after the covered bake

13. 13

    Step 13: Remove the fully cooked skillet from step 12 from the oven. Rest it for five minutes before lifting the chicken and mixing the rice.

    Fluff rested pilaf · 5 minUses fully cooked uncovered chicken-and-rice skillet

14. 14

    Step 14: Lift the rested chicken from step 13 out temporarily, then quickly fluff and mix all the rice and chickpeas to distribute the flavor. Return or plate the chicken with the rice; discard the cinnamon sticks before eating.

    Uses all rested chicken and rice with chickpeas

15. 15

    Step 15: Serve the chicken and rice prepared in step 14, with optional cilantro, parsley and plain yogurt. There are five chicken portions and a generous rice batch; promptly refrigerate any leftover rice and chicken in shallow containers.

    Uses all rested chicken and fluffed pilaf · Plain unsweetened yogurt, optional, to serve · Roughly chopped cilantro, optional, to garnish · Roughly chopped parsley, optional, to garnish