The festive season is upon us, and what better way to embrace the holiday spirit than by hosting the perfect Christmas lunch that will leave your guests filled with joy and warm memories?
Get ready to embark on a culinary journey curated by Nozi Manaka that will make this Christmas truly unforgettable. Here are two chicken dishes that are perfect for your Christmas lunch.
One-pot Chicken & Rice
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
8 skin-on chicken thighs and drums
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tbsp chicken rub
3 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Half yellow onion, half red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups long-grain rice
Chopped fresh parsley
Method:
- Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, chicken rub, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Add olive oil to a large base oven-friendly pan/skillet and heat.
- Add chicken thighs to the hot oil, skin side down, and cook for about 4 minutes or till well browned. Flip them over and cook them for 2 more minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Melt more butter in the same pan. Add the diced onion and peppers to the melted butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add rice and mix.
- Pour in the hot water and chicken stock. Stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the sides of pan.
- Add the chicken thighs back to pan, skin side up. Lightly sprinkle chicken pieces with some paprika.
- Let everything simmer slowly until liquid is absorbed and rice almost cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
To give a golden, crispy effect to this meal, do all the above and further bake briefly in a preheated oven:
- Cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for +-25 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue to cook for 10 to 12 more minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and rice cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let it stand for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Tip: If serving buffet-style, this dish is best served in its original cooking pan and garnished with charred lemons.
Lemon & Herb Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 lemon, halved
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cube chicken stock, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves minced
1 garlic head roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally through the middle crosswise
3 fresh whole rosemary sprigs
5 fresh whole thyme sprigs
Method:
1. Preheat oven to (220°C). Prepare a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan. Remove any excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, and chicken stock.
2. Pour melted butter over the chicken, and rub it under the skin and inside the cavity. Season chicken liberally on the outside and inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Rub the mix of spices and sprinkle over the parsley, mixing all ingredients together over the chicken and under the skin.
3. Stuff the garlic head into the chicken cavity along with the rosemary sprigs and the lemon half. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
4. Arrange chicken breast-side up into the skillet or roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, basting halfway through cooking time until the cooking juices run clear when you pierce a chicken thigh with a skewer. The internal temperature should read 75ºC.
5. Baste again with the dripping juice, then broil the chicken for a further 2-3 minutes, until golden.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven. Serve, drizzled with pan juices rosemary & thyme sprigs.
Tip :
Cover chicken with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving in order for juices to reabsorb and redistribute. This prevents dryness in your chicken.
