Autumn-Spiced Chicken, Almond Rice Pilaf
Marinate chicken in vinegar, Worcestershire and a flavorful variety of spices today, then cook tomorrow with an apples and onions sauce. Pile atop an easy-to-make Almond Rice Pilaf and top with bread and butter pickles to finish!
Ingredients
For the Autumn-Spiced Chicken:
- 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard (half a palmful)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin (half a palmful)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice (half a palmful)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander (half a palmful)
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric (a scant palmful)
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken, 4 thighs and 1 large, quartered breast or 4 small, split breasts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 crisp apples, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup cloudy cider or hard cider
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Bread and Butter Pickles, homemade or store-bought
For the Almond Rice Pilaf:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup broken spaghetti, in 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup white long grain rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Directions
For the Autumn-Spiced Chicken:
Combine the spices, salt, ginger, garlic, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat; marinate 4 hours or overnight.
Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven and brown the chicken in batches over medium-high heat; remove to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium; add the butter and melt. Add the onions and apples and cook to light brown, 10-12 minutes. Add the cider, stock and browned chicken; cover and simmer for 20 minutes to cook through.
For the Almond Rice Pilaf:
Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. Add the almonds and pasta and toast to golden. Add the rice and stock and cook, covered, at a simmer, to tender. Add the parsley and fluff with fork.
Serve the pilaf topped with the chicken and sauce. Top with bread and butter pickles to finish.