One-pot chicken thighs and rice recipe
The feta and chilli yoghurt dip here can be served on the side or drizzled over the top, and the whole dish offered, perhaps, with some lemon wedges.
Timings
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus optional marinating time
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves
4
Ingredients
6 large chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
2 lemons, plus extra to serve (optional)
4 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for frying
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
20g unsalted butter
75g vermicelli (or fine rice noodles)
250g long-grain rice
750ml chicken stock
2 red chillies
1 garlic clove
200g feta
150g Greek yoghurt
100g mayonnaise
40g kefalotyri or pecorino
finely chopped parsley, to serve (optional)
Method
Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon, then add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the garlic powder and dried oregano, 2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Toss together well, really massaging the flavours into the chicken skin. (If you can, marinate the chicken in advance, and store it covered in the fridge for a couple of hours.) When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 210C/190C fan/gas mark 6½.
Take an ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole that will comfortably fit the chicken and drizzle in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and place on a medium heat. You want to start in a cold pan, so the fat renders and the skin starts to turn golden. You’re not cooking the thighs through at this stage. When the skin is bronzing and starting to crisp, remove the chicken and leave, skin-side up, on a plate.
Add the butter to the pan, crush in the vermicelli and fry for 3-4 minutes, until deep golden-brown. Add the rice and stir thoroughly for a couple of minutes, so it gets coated in the butter, then pour in the chicken stock. Season generously and bring to the boil for a few minutes, then nestle in the chicken, so the meat is submerged in the stock but the skin is above the surface, so that it can crisp up.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is browned, crisp-skinned and cooked through. (Check it after about 15-20 minutes, and top up with 200ml water if it looks like it’s drying out.) Meanwhile, make the dip. Halve, deseed and finely slice the chillies. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
Place a small pan on a medium heat, add enough oil to just cover the base, and fry the chillies and garlic for a minute or so, just until lightly golden, then remove from the heat.
Break the feta up in a bowl and mash in the Greek yoghurt. Using a fork will be easiest; it’ll be a little grainy but keep going. Stir in the mayonnaise and then finely grate in the kefalotyri. Finely grate in the zest of the remaining lemon.
Stir the fried chilli and garlic into the feta dip and squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon. Mix everything well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon, and salt and pepper as needed. Serve the chicken and rice, sprinkled with a little parsley if you like, with the dip. the dip.
Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots, by Georgina Hayden (Bloomsbury, £26), is out now
