Chicken Rice Pilaf Recipe – How to make rice pilaf with chicken drumsticks

Rice pilaf with chicken drumsticks is an ideal one-pot dinner dish. This deeply nourishing meal features a unique flavor, thanks to a blend of delicious spices, garlic, and vegetables. The juices and broth from the chicken and veggies create a mouthwatering, moist rice dish that is sure to please.

Pilaf, also known as pilav or plov, is a quintessential comfort food that warms both the body and the soul. This delicious dish comes together quickly thanks to its simple ingredients and easy cooking process. You’ll quickly discover how effortlessly you can whip up this satisfying rice dish right in your own kitchen.

To kick off this culinary adventure, start by selecting your chicken. I personally prefer using pieces with bones, as they add a deep, rich flavor that truly elevates the dish. While basmati rice isn’t required, it’s a fantastic choice for this recipe; its grains turn out wonderfully fluffy and tender, cooking perfectly with minimal effort.

The magic of pilaf really lies in the spices—don’t underestimate their importance! They’re the key to creating the unique aroma and rich, complex flavors that make this dish completely irresistible. With every fragrant bite, you’ll be transported to a world of culinary delight.

Check out some other recipes on my site that I am sure you are going to love:

• Roast Beef Recipe with Vegetables and Creamy Gravy
• Meat Lasagna Recipe
• Russian Dumplings Recipe

Chicken Rice Pilaf Ingredients:

• 600 ml water;
• 400 g chicken drumsticks;
• 200 g basmati rice;
• 1 carrot;
• 1 onion;
• 50 ml vegetable oil;
• 1 garlic head;
• 1 tsp. salt;
• 1 tsp. turmeric;
• ¼ tsp. zira;
• ¼ tsp. coriander;
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper.

How to make chicken and rice pilaf from scratch:

• Clean and peel vegetables. Cut onion and carrot into thin slices.

• Take a cast-iron pot or a stainless steel double-bottom one and heat vegetable oil on medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until soft and semi-translucent. Add carrot slices to the pot and cook the mixture for additional 5 minutes.

• Place chicken drumsticks in the pot using sautéed vegetables as a pillow.

• Sprinkle all the seasoning, and herbs together with salt, over the chicken. I like to buy whole zira and coriander seeds and grind them myself using a mortar and a pestle.

• Cover meat with 200 ml of boiling water, wait until the water boils in the pot again, and let the meat cook for 20 minutes on low steady simmering under the lid.

• Meanwhile, rinse the rice under cold running water. It usually takes me 5 to 7 times of rinsing to get to clear water.

• In 20 minutes, when the meat absorbs the entire flavor from the herbs and softens, you will have the backbone of the pilaf ready – the so-called zirvak.

• Spread out rinsed rice in one layer over the chicken drumsticks evenly. Do not mix! I repeat do not even think to stir the mixture!

• Pour the rest of the water – 400 ml – slowly and carefully. There should be enough liquid to cover the rice together with meat 2 cm higher than the grain. If not then add more water.

• Let the water boil, cook pilaf for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Peel the top layer from the garlic head; do not divide it into separate cloves. Place it in the center of the cooking pilaf. Using a wooden stick, make several holes in the rice to let the steam out. Let it simmer for additional 10 minutes or until all the liquid evaporates/absorbs into the grain.

• In the end, you can give it a little stir. Cover the pot with a lid and set it aside for 10 minutes before serving!

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