LEBANESE ALMOND CHICKEN rice chicken and rice (riz ala’ dajaj)

Lebanese Almond Chicken Rice RecipeChicken with almonds on rice with beef mince and pine nuts

Ingredients:

1 boiling chicken (size 16-17)

1 Cinnamon stick 

2 tablesp butter

500g lean beef mince

3 teasp allspice

2 teasp olive oil (to toast the nuts)

1 cup pine nuts, toasted in 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cups water

2 cups rice, rinsed under running water

2 cups slivered almonds, toasted in 1 teasp olive oil

sea salt 

and freshly ground black pepper

pinch ground cinnamon

Method

:Place chicken into a large pot with the cinnamon stick and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes or until cooked through.Remove chicken from liquid and cut flesh into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin. Strain 2 cups of poaching liquid and reserve.

Heat butter in a fry pan and add mince and allspice. 

Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until well browned. Add half the pinenuts to the mince mixture.Add reserved poaching liquid, water and washed rice.Season lightly and simmer mixture for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.Arrange almonds and remaining pine nuts on the bottom of a round-ring mould, sprinkling with a little ground cinnamon. Pack the chicken pieces around the sides.Fill mould with rice mixture, pressing down firmly but carefully. Remove the mould and serve hot.