How to cook delicious and crumbly chicken pilaf at home

Chicken pilaf is a delicious dish for dinner or lunch with a harmonious taste and a memorable aroma. It is easy to do at home, if you know a few tricks and choose the right products. Pilaf prepared according to the correct recipe will appeal to households, including young children.

Chicken pilaf has a low calorie content. 100 grams of the product contains about 200 calories. It can be consumed by people who adhere to a healthy diet. In addition to low calorie content, it contains vitamins, minerals. The composition includes fiber, vitamins A, B, C, E, D, folic acid, manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc. The use of pilaf has a beneficial effect on the digestive process, does not cause heaviness and discomfort in the stomach.

Training

Before you start cooking, you need to follow some recommendations. They will help to avoid cooking mistakes.

Chicken Meat Selection

For the dish, take the whole chicken. So, pilaf will turn out juicy and moderately fat. Separate the skin from the meat and chop into small pieces. Bones can be left at will.

If you want to reduce calories, use chicken fillet or breast. In these types of meat there is practically no fat and veins. You can take chicken drumsticks and thighs, they will give juiciness.

Pieces of meat are cut into a size of at least 3 centimeters. If you cut less, they will turn out dry and tasteless. Chicken meat is cooked quickly, no more than 30 minutes.

Rice

The structure of pilaf depends on the type of rice. Many housewives complain that at the end of cooking the cereal turns into porridge. To avoid this, you need to choose a long, not steamed rice. It is pre-soaked for 3-4 hours to swell. Then washed several times to clear water.

Spice

Spices are the key to successful pilaf. Great for zira rice, turmeric, barberry, saffron, coriander. Many of these spices have a specific taste and aroma. Before adding, they definitely need to taste. In stores, ready-made sets of spices are sold. Herbs are already balanced in them.

Water addition

Water is always added to the pilaf. This is done for cooking rice. However, a large amount of water will turn the dish into porridge. Overfilling should be avoided. The optimal amount of water per 300 g of soaked rice is 1 cup. Do not need anymore.

Lack of water can always be made up. Just add ¼ cup to the contents. If the water slowly evaporates, then increase the heat.

Tableware

Most often, pilaf is cooked in a cauldron. It is such a boiler that is considered a traditional option, in it it turns out to be especially fragrant. Recently, housewives have been using a slow cooker. In kitchen appliances, the dish is not cooked for long, and the rice is crisp and tasty.

If there is no multicooker or boiler, it’s okay: an ordinary pot or pan will do. The main condition - the dishes should be with thick walls, bottom and medium depth.

Classic crumbly chicken pilaf in a pan

• Diced onions and carrots are sautéed in a frying pan over medium heat with the addition of oil.
• Chicken a little fried with vegetables until golden brown.
• Soaked rice is placed on top of the chicken, without mixing the contents, pour a glass of water. Then spices are added to taste.
• After boiling, reduce the fire, close the pan with a lid, wait 15 minutes. The lid is opened, garlic cloves are added.
• Check rice for readiness. If the cereal is ready, stop heating and allow the dish to cool.
• To saturate the taste and mix the flavors of the ingredients, it is imperative that pilaf be allowed to brew for at least an hour.

Traditional chicken pilaf in a pan

• whole chicken - 500-700 g;
• long rice - 300 g;
• carrot - 2 pcs.;
• 2 medium onions;
• garlic - 6-7 teeth;
• a pinch of turmeric, zira, caraway seeds.

1. Chicken is cut into pieces, the bones are removed.
2. At the bottom of the pan, pour a little oil, add chicken meat and vegetables, fry for several minutes.
3. Add spices for flavor and cover with rice. Pour groats with a glass of boiled water. Do this carefully so that the ingredients do not mix together. Rice should remain on the surface.
4. Garlic is placed at the end of cooking. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

Delicious pilaf in a cauldron

• chicken meat - 500-700 g;
• long rice - 300 g;
• 2 carrots;
• 2 onion heads;
• garlic - 5-6 cloves;
• spices for pilaf.

1. In a cauldron, meat with vegetables is fried for 5-8 minutes. Add spices and mix.
2. Soaked rice is placed on top of the contents.
3. Pour a glass of water, close the cauldron with a lid. Heating is reduced. After 10-15 minutes, when all the water has evaporated, make indentations in the rice and put garlic cloves in them.
4. Close the cauldron with a lid and wait another 5-7 minutes until fully prepared.

How to cook chicken pilaf in a slow cooker

• chicken meat - 500-700 g;
• long rice - 300 g;
• large carrots;
• large onion;
• garlic - 5-6 cloves;
• spices for pilaf (turmeric, barberry, zira).

1. In a slow cooker, pilaf is cooked in the “Baking” or “Stewing” mode. Oil is poured into the bowl, onions and carrots cut in a cube are laid, passaged for 5-6 minutes until golden.
2. Chopped pieces of chicken are transferred to vegetables, sprinkled to taste with spices. Mix the ingredients and fry for another 5-6 minutes.
3. They fill the contents with rice, pour a glass of water. The slow cooker is closed with a lid and cooked pilaf for 20 minutes.
4. Then put garlic cloves in rice, the contents are not mixed. They close the lid again and let it cool for another 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heating.

Using these recipes, cooking delicious pilaf is ensured. The recommendations reflect all the nuances. The dish will surely turn out fragrant, juicy and crumbly.

Pilaf can be served as an independent dish, even to the festive table. Vegetables, pickles and snacks go well with it.