Best Roast Chicken Spiced Rice Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN & SPICED RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 6. Pour 800ml just-boiled water into a heatproof jug, crumble in the stock cube and stir in along with half the curry paste and the butter or oil. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish or roasting tin (ours was 25 x 35cm and 5cm deep), and tip in the rice and cinnamon stick. Season and stir well.
• Cut a few deep slashes into each chicken thigh, then rub all over with the remaining curry paste and some seasoning. Arrange on top of the rice mixture, then cover the dish or tin with foil and bake for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, and fry the onion for 10-15 mins, or until soft and caramelised.
• Uncover the chicken and rice. The rice should still be wet, but if not, top up with 50-100ml more water. Scatter over the almonds and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 mins more until the chicken is browned, all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through and crisp at the edges. Meanwhile, cook the green beans in boiling water for 2-3 mins, then drain. Scatter the coriander and fried onions over the chicken and rice, spoon a few dollops of chutney over the dish, and serve with the green beans.

SWEDISH ROAST CHICKEN WITH SPICED APPLE RICE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Blanch the sweet potato in boiling water for two minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water and drain again.
• In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, onion, apples, shallots, garlic, thyme and mint.
• Combine the 2 tablespoons of water and the olive oil and add to the vegetable mixture, tossing to coat.
• With a mortar and pestle (or with the back of a heavy skillet against a cutting board) lightly crush the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves, black and white peppercorns (you can use all black if that's what you have) with the teaspoon of kosher salt.
• Add half the spice mixture to the vegetables and reserve the rest.
• Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Remove all the excess fat.
• Lightly stuff the bird's cavity with about half the vegetable mixture and tie the bird's legs together with kitchen string.
• Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and rub it all over with the reserved spice mixture.
• Scatter the remaining vegetable mixture around the chicken.
• Roast for about one hour.
• Remove the vegetables that are loose in the pan and set aside in a bowl.
• Continue roasting for another 30 minutes or until your meat thermometer, inserted in the thigh, reaches 160°F.
• During this time, if the pan becomes too dry, add water a few tablespoons at a time.
• Transfer chicken to a board, remove stuffing and add it to the other vegetables, and cover the chicken loosely with foil.
• Keep the vegetables warm.
• Place the roasting pan over heat on the stove top and add the water and stock or white wine.
• Bring liquid to a boil, stirring and scraping to deglaze the pan.
• Pour the liquid into a measuring cup, degreasing as best you can.
• Pour about 1/2 of a cup of the liquid into a sauceboat and keep warm.
• Add, if necessary, water to the remaining de-glazing liquid so that you have one cup.
• Combine the rice, one cup of water, one cup of deglazing liquid and the salt in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• As soon as the rice boils, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook the rice till done, about 18 minutes.
• Remove from heat and fold rice together with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the yogurt and the reserved vegetables.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Combine the remaining yogurt with the pan juices in the sauce boat.
• Carve the chicken and serve with rice, passing the sauceboat for those who need a little extra liquid.

SPICED ROAST CHICKEN WITH FRAGRANT JASMINE RICE

Steps:

• CHICKEN: Use kitchen scissors to cut down both sides of the back bone and remove.
• Open the chicken out like a book and snip through the wishbone to enable the chicken to lie flat.
• Slash the skin several times and place the chicken in a large dish.
• Pound the garlic, ginger, chilli and sugar to paste in a mortar and pestle or blend in a small food processor.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub into the meat.
• Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours if possible.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Heat a little oil in an over proof saute pan over a medium heat.
• Take the chicken out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the dish.
• Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down and allow to brown.
• Turn the chicken over and pour over the marinade.
• Roast the chicken in the over 50-60 minutes, basting a couple of times during cooking.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest, lightly covered, for 5 minutes.
• Tip the pan juices into a small pot.
• Mix the cornflour with the water and stir into the juices.
• Simmer for 2 minutes then add a good squeeze of lime juice and pour into a serving jug.
• RICE: Heat the oil in an oven-proof saute pan or pot with a lid.
• Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cardamom pods and mustard seeds and gently fry until tender.
• Add the rice, stock and salt and bring to the boil.
• Cover and place back in the oven for 25 minutes.
• Stir the rice once during cooking.
• Remove from the oven and sit covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
• TO SERVE: Spoon the rice onto a platter.
• Cut the chicken into serving pieces and place on top.
• Scatter fresh herbs over the chicken and garnish with lime wedges.
• Bowls of thick plain yoghurt, roasted chopped peanuts and crispy shallots are nice accompaniments.