Kong's Kitchen - Episode 2: Apple Cider Cardamom Chicken & Saffron Rice Pilaf
Channel: King Kong Rong
Date: 2019-11-28

Complex flavors made easy! Learn how to cook this seasonal Fall dish with a Middle East inspired twist! This is another highlight from a recent cooking stream.

Adapted from original recipe in Food & Wine October 2014. The only change I made was to use apple cider instead of apple juice.

Ingredients:
- 4 chicken legs
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice (i.e. basmati or jasmine)
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup nuts (You can use whatever nuts you want so long as they're roughly chopped - you want them to be around the same size as the raisins. I used pine nuts because they didn't need any chopping)
- 2 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (or home made)
- 2 tbsp saffron powder (can be subbed with turmeric)
- 1/4 cup apple cider

Instructions:
1) Heat the oven to 450°F. Coat the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and top each leg with a piece of the butter. Roast the chicken until just done, about 30 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, saffron and 1 teaspoon cardamom and stir to coat the rice with the oil. Add the raisins, nuts, broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, without removing the lid, for 5 minutes. Stir with a fork.

3) Put apple cider in small sauce pan. Cook on high until boiling, then set to low and simmer uncovered until reduced to desired thickness. I finished this in 45 minutes and was just thick enough to be brushed, but if you want it thicker, you can cook it longer, but be careful not to over cook it or it will be like sludge!

4) Assemble: Spoon pilaf on plate, then put one chicken leg on top. Brush the cider on top of the chicken. Ideally, cutting into the chicken will allow more of the juices to seep into the rice.

Enjoy!
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#saffronrice #ricepilaf #applecidercooking
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