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Pilaf with buttermilk chicken and pomegranate

Simple, flavoursome rice pilaf with marinated chicken creates an impressively low-effort family dinner.

Preparation time
over 2 hours

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour

Serves
Serves 4

By Rick Stein
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless chicken breasts, skin on
  • 100g/3½oz buttermilk
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • large pinch saffron strands
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 300g/10½oz basmati rice
  • 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp za’atar
  • handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. About 2–4 hours before cooking, put the chicken breasts in a bowl with the buttermilk and garlic, cover and leave in the fridge to marinate.

  2. About 30 minutes before cooking, put the saffron in a bowl, pour over 2–3 tbsp hot water and leave it to bloom.

  3. In a saucepan with a lid, over medium heat, add the oil and fry the onion until soft. Add the rice and stir it into the oil. Add the saffron water and stock, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Put a lid on the pan, turn down the heat and simmer the rice for 10–12 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.

  4. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Remove the chicken from the marinade, put it in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt and the za’atar.

  5. Cook the chicken for 20–25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts, or until cooked through.

  6. To serve, stir the parsley and pine nuts into the rice. Slice the chicken and place it on top of the rice with the pomegranate seeds.

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