Chicken and Chickpea Rice Pilaf

This started with a regular rice pilaf recipe that just expanded to include various beans and meats. Eventually this became my favorite combination. The rice turns crispy and crunchy when done right, with just the right amount of spice to keep you going back for more. This is a pretty time-consuming and labor-intensive dish, but after trial and error, as well as a little personal touch, it becomes a delicious weekly addiction.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 9 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 29 mins
• Calories: 343 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice
• 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Step 2

Melt butter with oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice; cook and stir until translucent and coated in oil, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3

Season drumsticks with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Step 4

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook drumsticks until skin is golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Step 5

Pour chicken broth into a deep saucepan and bring to a boil. Season with remaining salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; add thyme. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Step 6

Transfer chickpea-rice mixture to an oven-proof cast iron skillet. Pour in the chicken broth and mix. Place drumsticks on top and cover skillet tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until rice is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil, raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C); continue baking until rice is crispy on top, 10 to 15 minutes more.