Plao Bejij (Iraqi Chicken and Rice)
Iraqi tomato chicken with basmati rice and browned vermicelli (pronunciation: [plaʊ bəˈdʒiːdʒ] / plow beh-JEEJ)
Ingredients
- 370 g basmati rice
- 54 g olive oil
- 1000 g bone-in chicken thighs
- 11 g salt
- 20 g garlic
- 16 g paprika
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- 1200 g chicken stock
- 150 g filini
- 30 g tomato paste
- 2.3 g black pepper
Method
- 1. Rinse the basmati rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain thoroughly.
- 2. Heat most of the olive oil in a wide, lidded pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with half the salt. Brown the chicken for 3–4 min per side, skin-side down first. Add the garlic and paprika; cook for 1 min, stirring around the chicken so the garlic does not burn.
- 3. Crush the whole canned tomatoes by hand and add them with their juices. Pour in the chicken stock until it reaches the top of the chicken. Cover and simmer gently for 30 min.
- 4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet. Add the filini and stir until evenly browned. Add the drained rice and stir for 2 min.
- 5. Stir the tomato paste, black pepper, and remaining salt into the chicken pot. Spoon the rice and filini into the liquid between the chicken pieces. The liquid should sit about ½ in / 1 cm above the rice; simmer uncovered to reduce it, or add a little stock, if needed. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 min, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C. Rest off the heat for 10 min before serving.
Notes
This is good with Greek yogurt, parsley, and crispy onions as toppings to taste.
Source and attribution
Adapted from Itay Edri