Pilaf came to the Slavic culture from the Middle Eastern cuisine, and it’s very widely popular in different variations. The dish which I usually cook for my family is not the original pilaf recipe. I use brown rice and chicken meat to make it lighter for the digestion system and add some more health benefits. It’s quite easy to make, but you need to use proper rice, follow instructions such as water/rice proportions and the cooking time – so, you would get a flavorful and fluffy rice pilaf with juicy and tender pieces of chicken meat.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cups flavorless vegetable oil
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of red chili pepper
• 2 medium onions (chopped) – 2 cups
• 3-4 medium carrots (shredded) – 2 cups
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 3-4 garlic cloves (sliced)

 

Cooking Directions:

1. Cut chicken thighs into one-inch pieces.
2. Peel the onion and cut into four wedges lengthwise; then slice crosswise.
3. Peel carrots and slice with a mandoline grater.
4. In a large dutch oven heat 1/2 cups of flavorless vegetable oil over a high heat; add chicken pieces, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, a pinch of red chili pepper and brown for about 5 minutes.
5. Add onion and carrots and saute for 7-10 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon every 2-3 minutes.
6. Pour 3 cups of hot water, add 1 Tbsp of salt, let it come to a boil.
7. In meantime, wash rice under running water to remove any refuse of rice flour. This step is very important as it helps to produce fluffy, and not mushy pilaf. Quality of the rice is also important. I usually use Trader Joe’s Brown Basmati Rice.
8. Place the washed rice over the meat and vegetables in an even layer. Let it boil on a high heat for about 5 minutes or until most of the water from the top is absorbed. You should have only a thin layer of water on the top, just to make sure all the pilaf ingredients are covered.
9. Turn the heat on a low level, slice garlic and place evenly on the top. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 35-40 minutes.
10. Once ready, stir gently with a wooden spoon to make sure all water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.

Let it rest for 15-20 minutes to enhance flavors. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley. Serve with fresh vegetables or a salad.