New York style Chicken & Rice

Ingredients

For the chicken:

- 500g chicken thighs

- 1/2 tsp oregano

- 1/2 tsp adobo seasoning (if you don't have adobo feel free to use chicken seasoning)

- 1/2 tsp parsley

- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

Rice:

· 150g basmati rice

· 1 tbsp unsalted butter

· ½ tsp turmeric

· ½ tsp cumin

· 1 bay leaf

· Salt & pepper to taste

· 300ml chicken stock

White sauce:

· 100g Mayo

· 60g Greek Yoghurt

· 1 tbsp water

· 2/4 tsp distilled white vinegar

· 1/2 tsp sugar

· 1/4 tsp lemon juice

· 1/4 tsp adobo seasoning &

1/8 - 1/4tsp garlic granules (optional) I love garlic so I added 1/4tsp

Extras:

· 2 Tomatoes

· Lettuce

· 2 Onions

Unsalted Butter

· Flatbread

· 2 Plantains

· Vegetable oil

Recipe notes:

• Let the white sauce sit in the fridge for as long as possible, the flavour will develop overtime, start with the recipe for the sauce above and after its sat in the fridge then taste to see if you need to add more of anything

• The cooking instructions for the rice are for Tilda basmati rice, in general most basmati rice will be the same as below however, check the cooking instructions for the rice you are using. I use a 1:2 ratio below, however your rice may need 1:2.5 or different cooking times.

Directions:

- Season your washed and dried chicken with all the chicken seasonings above. Cover and place in the fridge till you're ready to cook.

- Add all your ingredients for the white sauce into a bowl and mix until combined. Cover and place in the fridge till you're ready to cook.

- Finely dice the onions and to a pan over medium heat add a tbsp of unsalted butter. Add the onions, lightly salt and fry until softened. Once they have softened, every few minutes add a few drops of water. You will know its time to add water when you can see they may start to stick to the pan. It'll take about 30-40 minutes for them to caramelise.

- When you are ready to cook, in a pan or cast iron skillet add 2 tbsp oil and over a medium heat cook your chicken thighs for 5 minutes on one side without touching them, turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other

- Take the thighs out of the pan and cut them into little pieces, throw them back in the same pan, cook for another 2-3 minutes and mix them up so they absorb all of the juices.

- In a pot over low-medium heat add your butter and your washed and drained rice and fry until fragrant ,about 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric and cumin and mix. Let it cook for about 30 seconds.

- Add your chicken stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add a tsp of olive oil a sprinkle of salt, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes

- Once your rice is cooked take it off the heat, let it sit covered for about 5 minutes and then fluff up with a fork

- Peel the plantain and cut diagonally.

- In another pot add enough vegetable oil so that when you add your plantain they are about halfway covered.

- Add your plantain a few slices at a time and cook until they turn a nice golden brown flipping every few seconds so that they don't burn.

- Place them on some kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.

- Heat up your pitta so its soft

- Wash and chop your salad

- Plate everything up and serve and enjoy!