chicken and rice casserole recipe

Chicken And Rice (pilaff) Casserole 

Preparation Time   : 20  minutes 

Total cooking time : 1 hour 10 minutes 

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

For the chicken and rice casserole we need :

2 ½ cups (600 ml/20 fl oz ) chicken stock
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 onion,finely chopped 
2 garlic cloves,crushed
2 tablespoon finely chopped lemon grass 
1 red capsicum (pepper),finely chopped
1½  cups (300 g/10 oz) basmati rice
1.4 kg (2 lb 13 oz) whole chicken

⅓ cup (80 ml/2 ¾ fl oz) coconut milk

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce 

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 cup (50 g/1¾ oz) roughly chopped

   coriander (cilantro) leaves 

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar 

Preparation :

1- Pour the stock into a saucepan,bring to 

the boil,then remove from the heat,

Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200°C

(400°F/Gas 6).

2-Heat the oil in a large,3 cm (1¼ inch)

deep flameproof casserole dish over

medium heat.Add the onion,garlic,

lemon grass and capsicum and cook,

stirring,for 5 minutes,or until soft.stir in

the rice,mixing well to combine,remove

the dish from the heat.Add the hot stock

and mix well.

3-  Wash the chicken  and pat dry inside and

out with paper towels.tie the legs together 

with string and tuck the wings under.

4-  Combine the coconut milk,chilli sauce,

lime juice,coriander and sugar in a bowl,

Put the chicken on a rack over the rice.

Brush half the coconut mixture over the 

chicken and bake for 15 minutes .Reduce

the temperature to moderate 180°C

(350°F/Gas 4) and stir 1 cup (250 ml/ 8 fl oz)

Water into the rice mixture.cover the chicken 

tightly with lightly greased foil and bake for further 

30 minutes .

5- Remove the chicken and rack.stir the 

rice,adding extra water in the rice is a 

little dry,Return the rack and chicken to 

the dish.Brush with the remaining 

coconut mixture.bake,uncovered,for

15 minutes,or until the chicken is cooked 

and lightly browned and the juices run 

clear when a skewer in inserted into the 

thing.Remove the chicken and stir the 

rice.Serve the Pilaff with pieces of 

chicken.