Roast Chicken and Dirty Rice
I love how easy and delicious this recipe is. Roast Chicken and Dirty Rice is seasoned Roast Chicken with Basmati Rice mixed into the umami jus, oil and drippings from the roasting pan. The Dirty Rice is served in the roasting pan, adorned with toasted slivered Almonds and Parsley and served with a lemony Salad.
It makes a great weeknight dinner as once the Chicken is roasting, you can prepare the Salad and toasted Almonds while your Rice is steaming.
Organic Ingredients, serves 6
For Chicken
1 Whole Pastured Chicken
1 Tbsp. Sumac or whatever spice you like roasting your chicken with
1 Tbsp. Celtic Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. Aleppo Pepper, or 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
1 Large Yellow Onion, peeled and quartered
1 Large Head of Garlic, outer layers of skin removed, optional
3 Tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Rice
3 Cups Basmati Rice, washed well
4 Cups home made Chicken Stock/Broth or 1 x 2 lb carton Kettle & Fire Chicken Broth
1 Tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
2 Tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Garnish
1 Cup Slivered Almonds
2 Tbsps. Chopped Fresh Parsley Leaves
For Serving
A Garden Salad - Lettuce, Radiccio, Tomatoes dressed in Lemon, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper
Method
Toast Almonds by lightly sautéing them in a few drops of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium heat until toasted. Careful not to burn. Set aside.
Pat Chicken dry and Season Chicken with Sumac, Salt, Aleppo Pepper and Olive Oil by rubbing the Oil and Spices into and around the Skin. Once seasoned, place 1/4 of an Onion in the cavity and place the rest of the Onion in the pan. Pop your head of Garlic into the baking tray. Place in a 400f oven for 1 hr 30 minutes or until cooked through and the juices run clear. Using two large wooden spoons carry the Chicken above the roasting pan allowing juices to run into the pan. Remove from pan and leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Watch this video and follow the steps to carve a your Chicken the right way.
Keep the Chicken Jus in the roasting pan the Chicken cooked in. Remove the Onion and Garlic and set aside. Scape away and discard any burnt/ black carcinogenic bits.
Combine Rice ingredients in a medium sized stainless steel pot and bring to a boil. Leave to boil for a minute or two before covering and reducing the heat to a low simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
Using a large wooden spoon, carefully scoop your Rice grains, keeping them intact, into your roasting pan with the Chicken Jus. Mix the Rice into the Chicken Drippings until well incorporated.
Add carved Chicken pieces on top of Rice plus any juices from your chopping board. Scatter toasted Almonds on top. Garnish with Parsley. Serve with Salad. Add the Roast Onion and Garlic to whomever’s dish wants it. Pop the Garlic flesh out of the Skin to enjoy and discard the Skin.
Notes:
I always opt for organic, pasture raised, air chilled chicken. If your Chicken isn’t air chilled and raised in the USA, it’s washed in an anti-microbal chlorine solution. Bell & Evans is processed in their 100% Air chilled facility eliminating the need for chlorinated baths resulting in a healthier Chicken for us and the environment as well as a tastier chicken thats better for roasting.
This dish would go well with a Middle Eastern Style Salad
And/or Greek Yogurt. You could mix in chopped Persian Cucumbers, fresh Mint & Dill with some Salt
And my home made Chili Sauce
Here is a video of how I like to wash and cook my Basmati Rice. Adjust quantities per recipe above, and only cook for 15 minutes for this recipe (no need to cover for 5 minutes at the end here) as the rice will continue to steam in the roasting pan
Ingredients for Chicken and Dirty Rice
Chicken seasoned, salted, oiled and stuffed ready for the oven. Onion quartered, with one quarter stuffed inside and the rest nestled around the pan. One head of Garlic with outer layers peeled off optional to roast with the Chicken.
After 1hr 30 minutes at 400f. Chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear. I like to lift my chicken out of the roasting pan with two wooden spoons letting the juice dip into the pan for the gravy.
Its important to rest your Chicken for 20 minutes before carving
Carve Chicken into smaller pieces. Watch video linked above on how to do this, or do however you like. I like to keep legs and wings on the bone
Cooked Basmati, carved Roast Chicken, Toasted Almonds, Roasted Garlic and Onions and Parsley ready to be assembled into the roasting pan with the jus and drippings
Carefully stir the rice into the roasting pan and mix with the jus and drippings from the Chicken. Add Chicken on top, then toasted Almonds and finally garnish with Parsley.
Served with a Salad of Lettuce, Radicchio and Tomato in a Lemon, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper dressing. Add the Roast Onion and Garlic to whomever’s dish wants it. Pop the Garlic flesh out of the Skin to enjoy and discard the Skin.