Dairy-Free Turkish Chicken and Rice Pilaf

Instructions

1. 1Place a large heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat (176.7°C / 175°C). Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the 1 medium onion, which has been chopped into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion pieces are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. 2Add the 3 cloves of garlic, which have been minced, to the pot. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until you can smell the garlic, being careful not to let it burn.
3. 3Add the about 680 g of chicken thighs to the pot. Cook them, turning them over so they brown on all sides, for about 5-7 minutes total. Once browned, remove the chicken thighs from the pot and place them on a plate, setting them aside for later.
4. 4Add the 1.5 cups of long grain rice to the pot. Stir the rice constantly for 2-3 minutes until the grains look slightly opaque and smell toasty. This is called toasting the rice.
5. 5Pour in the 3 cups of vegetable broth. Add the 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 0.5 teaspoon of cumin, 0.25 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir everything together and bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
6. 6Carefully return the browned about 680 g of chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Once the liquid returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to low (121.1°C / 120°C). Cover the pot tightly with a lid and let it simmer gently for 25-30 minutes. The rice should be tender and the chicken cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 74°C.
7. 7During the last 5 minutes of the simmering time, stir in the 0.5 cup of dried apricots, 0.25 cup of raisins, and 0.25 cup of almonds. This will allow them to soften and warm through.
8. 8Once the cooking time is up, remove the pot from the heat. Keep the lid on and let the pilaf stand undisturbed for 5 minutes. This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish absorbing any remaining liquid.
9. 9Fluff the pilaf gently with a fork. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, which has been chopped, over the top just before serving.

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