CHICKEN AND RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES

CHICKEN AND RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES image

Categories Chicken

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), rinsed, patted dry and cut into 8 pieces, wings reserved for another use
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cinnamon stick (3-inches)
1 medium onion , chopped fine
2 medium green bell peppers , cored, seeded, and cut into medium dice
3 cloves garlic , minced very fine
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ cups long grain white rice
1(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained (about 1 cup) and 1/2 cup liquid reserved
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon table salt

Steps:

Sprinkle chicken pieces liberally on both sides with salt and ground black pepper. Heat oil until shimmering in large, heavy, non-reactive Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken pieces skin side down; cook, without moving them, until well browned, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over with tongs and cook, again without moving them, until well browned on second side, about 6 minutes longer. Remove from pot and set aside. Pour all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot; return to burner. Reduce heat to medium; add cinnamon stick, sauté, stirring with wooden spoon until it unfurls, about 15 seconds. Add onion and green bell pepers and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ground turmeric, coriander, and cumin and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute longer. Stir in rice and cook, stirring frequently, until coated and glistening, about 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes with reserved liquid, wine, salt, and 2 cups water, scraping browned bits off pot bottom with wooden spoon. Return chicken thighs and legs to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add chicken breast pieces and stir ingredients gently until rice is thoroughly mixed; replace cover and simmer until both rice and chicken are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cover pot, and allow dish to rest for 5 minutes; serve immediately.