Recipe of the Day: Lemon Chicken and Rice

Everything you’ll need to make this delicious Lemon Chicken and Rice:

• 1 whole chicken cut into sections (about 1.3 kg)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 1 medium carrot, whole
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• The juice of 1 medium lemon

For the Rice

• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup peas
• 2 tbsp dill
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions 

For the Chicken 

1. First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot and brown the chicken on all sides for a few minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and grate a little nutmeg over the pot.
4. Deglaze with the white wine and allow it to evaporate by half.
5. Add enough hot water or homemade chicken broth to cover the chicken halfway.
6. Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes until the chicken softens.
7. Add salt and pepper at the end of cooking.
8. Remove all the vegetables from the pot and set aside 2 cups of chicken broth for the rice.
9. Dissolve the cornstarch in the lemon juice and pour it into the sauce.
10. Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly.

For the Rice

1. Finely chop the onion and carrot.
2. Heat a little olive oil and sauté the chopped vegetables for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil. Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of hot water.
4. Add the peas, half-cover the pot, and simmer over low heat until small holes appear on the surface and the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Toward the end, season with salt.
5. Remove from the heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes to absorb any remaining moisture.
6. Finally, fluff the rice with a fork and sprinkle with dill.
7. Serve a portion of the colorful chicken and rice with plenty of sauce.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou