LEMON CHICKEN AND LEEK RICE PILAF

Lemon Chicken and Leek Rice Pilaf image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

2 tablespoons butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup broken linguini
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped into thin half moons
Salt and pepper
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
1 1/4 cups white rice
3 cups chicken stock, reserved from Poached Chicken, recipe follows
1 lemon, juiced and zested
3 cups cooked chicken, about half of meat from Poached Chicken, recipe follows
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 whole chicken, 5 pounds
2 bay leaves
2 carrots, coarsely chopped, with stems, if you have them
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 lemon, sliced
1 onion, quartered
A few stalks celery with leafy tops, coarsely chopped
A small handful fresh parsley with stems
Salt
A few peppercorns

Steps:

Heat the butter over medium heat in a skillet that has a lid. Add the pasta and toast until deep golden and nutty. Add the leeks and wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add wine, if using, and cook until it evaporates. Add the rice and the chicken stock and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until almost tender, 15 minutes. Add the chicken, lemon juice and parsley. Cover, let stand 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Get Rachael's shopping list for this episode's recipes here.
Place the cleaned chicken in a pot on bed of bay leaves, carrots, garlic, lemon, onions, celery and parsley. Fill the pot covering the top of the chicken with about 12 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and throw in a couple of peppercorns. Bring the water to a low boil then gently cook at low rolling simmer for about 1 hour, turning the chicken occasionally. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool completely in its own juices. Remove the chicken and separate the meat from the skin and bones. Strain and reserve all of the cooking liquids.