One-Pot Whole Roasted Chicken and Rice
Published April 13, 2023
- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- Small pinch saffron threads (optional)
- Pinch granulated sugar (optional)
- 1whole (4- to 5-pound) chicken, trimmed of excess fat
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1½teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1½cups white basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- Green herbs, such as parsley or cilantro, as garnish (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
705 calories; 40 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 41 grams protein; 678 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. If using the saffron, bring 2 tablespoons of water to a boil and let stand for 2 minutes to allow the temperature to drop slightly as you grind the saffron. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with the sugar to a fine powder (you should have a scant ¼ teaspoon), then add the hot water, gently stir, cover and let steep until ready to use. This is the saffron water.
- Step 2
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously all over (inside the cavity as well) with 5 to 7 teaspoons of salt, depending on the weight of your bird, and about 2 teaspoons pepper. If your chicken is smaller, adjust seasoning accordingly. (This can be done up to 24 hours in advance and the chicken kept in the refrigerator, uncovered. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.)
- Step 3
In a large (6-quart) Dutch oven (or similar oven-safe pot), heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle the onion with a little salt, add the garlic and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the heat off and transfer the onion mixture to a small bowl. Don’t wash the pot.
- Step 4
Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of turmeric all over the chicken. In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high, and carefully place the chicken breast side down in the pot. Cook the chicken on the stovetop until the breast side is golden, about 5 minutes. If the heat is too strong, reduce to medium. You’re not completely browning the skin, just getting some color on it. Very carefully, with the help of tongs and a wooden spoon, or using your hands, turn the chicken over and cook the back side until golden, another 5 minutes.
- Step 5
Scatter the onion mixture around the chicken, avoiding the top of the chicken, and pour 2½ cups water around the sides of the pot. (Do not pour the water over the chicken.) Bring to a quick boil, cover and place in the oven for 50 minutes.
- Step 6
Carefully remove the pot from the oven, and using a spoon, add the rice evenly to the liquid around the side of the pot. If any grains end up on top of the chicken or tucked into wings, gently scoot them into the liquid, otherwise they won’t cook properly. Drizzle the lemon juice and saffron water (if using) over the chicken, cover and place back in the oven for 30 minutes, until the chicken and rice are cooked through. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with herbs, if using.
- Step 7
It’s best to carve the chicken right in the pot and serve along with the rice. But you can also gently lift the chicken out and place it on a board and carve.
Private Notes
Comments
Iraqi Jews,including my Jewish community in India, make a wonderful Sabbath dish, Hamim, akin to the European Jewish Cholent, that is very similar to this recipe, but even more fragrant. It cooks on a very low flame all night but it can also be cooked for a short time like this recipe, Just add a large stick of cinnamon, a few pods of green cardamon and 2 or 3 cloves when you fry the onions, add a lot of chopped ripe tomatoes, a spoon of tomato puree, add water after they soften.
This is a joy to cook and satisfyingly delicious to eat as an Autumn dinner. (I live in Tasmania.) I added diced carrots, corn kernels and peas to the rice for extra colour and basically so I didn’t need to cook extra vegetables. That made it a total dinner in a pot. Absolutely yum. Next time I might even add a cinnamon stick and a cardamom or two to add more spice.
During the cooking of this, my visiting mother set the microwave on fire, I accidentally dropped the Dutch oven pulling it out of the oven to check on it and spilled a good amount of liquid, and I burned my hand on the pot. The meal turned out SO GOOD (the flavor is incredible!) that we forgot all woes we went through to make it. It’s like childbirth- it was horrible going through it but the end result was totally worth it. This meal will become a regular rotation in our house. Childbirth won’t. Make this. Don’t set your microwave on fire.
A delicious winner, it's definitely going into the rotation! I served it with a tomato/cucumber/red pepper-salad with vinaigrette and some tsatsiki.
3/4tsp-1 tsp total of pepper
Do you leave the skin on the chicken or do you remove the skin before cooking? Thanks!