Name: Peach chicken lemon rice pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil; 4 corn-fed free-range chicken marylands (about 400gm each), halved through the joint; 5 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp each ground cumin and ground coriander; 1 tsp each ground turmeric and ground kashmiri chilli (see note); 2 onions, diced; 1 lemon, juice and finely grated rind; 800 ml hot chicken stock; 2 yellow peaches, cut into wedges; 20 gm butter; 2 each cinnamon quills, cardamom pods, bruised, and fresh bay leaves; 400 gm (2 cups) long-grain rice, rinsed; To serve: torn coriander and parsley

Peach chicken lemon rice pilaf

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for peach chicken with lemon rice pilaf.

Peach chicken with saffron and lemon rice pilaf

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

20M

Total

35M

Using fruit in savoury dishes adds an interesting flavour – think duck and pineapple, or rabbit and prunes. Chicken and peaches also pair well, especially with the addition of Middle Eastern spices. The flavour will improve further with standing overnight.

Ingredients

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

4 corn-fed free-range chicken marylands (about 400gm each), halved through the joint

5 garlic cloves

1 tbsp each ground cumin and ground coriander

1 tsp each ground turmeric and ground kashmiri chilli (see note)

2 onions, diced

1 lemon, juice and finely grated rind

800 ml hot chicken stock

2 yellow peaches, cut into wedges

20 gm butter

2 each cinnamon quills, cardamom pods, bruised, and fresh bay leaves

400 gm (2 cups) long-grain rice, rinsed

To serve: torn coriander and parsley

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Heat 20ml oil in a frying pan, season chicken and sauté over high heat until golden (3-5 minutes), set aside.

2.Process garlic, ground spices and half the onion in a food processor until finely chopped.

3.Heat 40ml oil in a casserole, add onion mixture and sauté until fragrant (2-3 minutes), then add lemon juice, 300ml stock and chicken, season to taste and stir to combine. Scatter peaches over and spoon a little cooking liquid over peaches, cover, bring to the simmer and cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through and peaches are tender (5-10 minutes).

4.Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a separate casserole, add butter, remaining spices and remaining onion and stir over medium heat until starting to caramelise (5 minutes). Add rice, stir to coat, add remaining stock, season to taste, bring to the simmer, cover and bake until rice is cooked (15 minutes). Stir through lemon rind and serve with peach chicken, scattered with coriander and parsley.