Baked Chicken Rice Pilaf With Carrots, Coconut, Lemongrass And Limes

Full-flavoured and colourful, this easy all-in-one baked chicken is bound to become a favourite. Adjust the sambal oelek for your level of spiciness. All it needs is a side of greens alongside for a complete meal.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Heat the oil in a wide oven-proof casserole dish. Brown the chicken pieces all over until golden, then remove and set aside. Drain off and discard most of the cooking fat, leaving around 1 Tbsp in the pan.

Add the onions and carrots and fry for a few minutes to soften, then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chopped coriander stems and sambal oelek. Fry for a minute then and add the rice and toast gently.

Add the coconut milk, chicken stock and salt and bring up to a simmer. Add the lemongrass stalks, kaffir lime, half the coriander leaves and the lime zest. Nestle in the chicken pieces cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Drizzle over the lime juice, then serves with the remaining coriander, peanuts and chilli.

Recipe received from our partner Farro Fresh.

2 Tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
1.2kg bone in, skin on chicken thighs or use chicken drums
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3cm piece ginger, minced
3cm piece turmeric, grated (or ½ tsp Farro turmeric powder)
½ bunch coriander, leaves and stems
1-2 Tbsp sambal oelek
1½ cups long grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati, rinsed well
½ cup coconut milk
1¾ cups Foundation Foods chicken stock
1 tsp salt
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves
1 lime, grated zest and juice
¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 chilli, sliced for garnishing