Creamy Pilaf with Vegetables and Oven-Baked Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
4 large chicken legs
Water (to cover the chicken)
onion (cut into 4 pieces)
Celery (use green celery, or celery root)
2 bay leaves
Salt (to taste)
For the vegetables:
1 onion (chopped finely)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
1 carrot (grated or diced)
2 red bell pepper (chopped finely)
1 green bell pepper (chopped finely)
Olive oil (for cooking)
Salt (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)
Paprika (to taste)
Oregano (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
1/4tsp dried chili (optional)
2tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
2 sprigs of green thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
Lemon slices
Parmesan cheese (optional)
1tbsp butter
For the pilaf:
1cup rice
•Chicken broth (from the chicken boil)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Chicken:
In a large pot, place the chicken legs and cover with water.
Add 1 onion (cut into quarters), celery, 2 bay leaves, and salt.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth for later use in the pilaf.
2
Prepare the Spices and Vegetables:
Chop 1 onion finely and chop 2 cloves of garlic.
Grate 1 carrot, and chop 1/2 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper finely.
Set the vegetables aside for later use.
3
Season the Chicken:
In an oven-safe pan, combine salt, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon dried chili (optional).
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix well.
Coat the chicken with this spice mixture and place the chicken back in the pan.
Add green thyme, rosemary sprigs, and lemon slices on top.
Place the pan in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) and bake for 25 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned on top.
4
Prepare the Pilaf:
In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the prepared vegetables (onion, garlic, carrot, and peppers) for about 1 minute.
Add 1 cup rice and season with salt.
Gradually add the chicken broth (reserved from boiling the chicken), stirring as you go, until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
5
Finish the Pilaf:
Once the rice is cooked, add parmesan cheese (optional) and 1 teaspoon butter.
Stir everything well to incorporate and create a creamy texture.
6
Serve:
Serve the creamy pilaf with the oven-baked chicken and enjoy!
This Creamy Pilaf with Vegetables and Oven-Baked Chicken is a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for any season, easy to prepare, and guaranteed to please the whole family!
