My beautiful sister-in-law makes a Chicken Pilaf dish that hits the spot every time. It is a family recipe that her grandmother passed down to her and it's one of those that is not written down but just known by heart. When she was visiting us, she made it for our family and it left us all begging for more. She was generous enough to try to teach me how to make it and I jotted down some notes. She swears by Uncle Ben's rice, but long-grain is what I usually have on hand. Of course it's one of those dishes that tastes extra special when she makes it. Here is my rendition based on what I typically have in my pantry. We love you Caity!!! Thank you for always loving on us with your delicious food!
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. bone-in chicken drums
- onion salt
- paprika
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 8 oz. angel hair pasta, broken up into small pieces
- 3 c. long grain white rice (not instant)
- 7 c. water
- 2 tsp. no-salt chicken bouillon
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. salt
- plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, for serving
- fresh chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Evenly space chicken onto two large baking sheets. Season with a generous amount of onion salt. Sprinkle with paprika (just enough to give some good color).
- Bake until cooked through and falling off of the bone, about 45 minutes. While it is baking, start the rice:
- Heat butter in large non-stick pot on medium. When it is melted and just starting to bubble, add the angel hair pasta. Cook and stir until it is a nice golden brown color.
- Add water, bouillon, turmeric and salt to the pot. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Serve chicken and rice with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped parsley for some color (optional).
