Description
This One Skillet Oven Baked Chicken Shawarma and Rice Pilaf is a flavorful and convenient dish combining marinated chicken thighs with aromatic rice pilaf, chickpeas, and warm spices. Prepared in a single skillet, it’s perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade and Spice Rub
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (or 2 small cloves)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or ordinary paprika)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 chicken thigh fillets, bone in, skin on (about 2 lb / 1 kg total)
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Rice Pilaf
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or water)
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 – 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 cinnamon sticks (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder)
- 400g (14oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 cup raisins or sultanas (optional)
Garnishes
- Plain unsweetened yoghurt (Greek yoghurt recommended)
- Cilantro/coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- Parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the dish.
- Prepare Spice Rub: In a small bowl, mix together garlic, ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to create the shawarma spice rub.
- Marinate Chicken (Optional): Coat the chicken thighs thoroughly with the spice rub on both sides. For best flavor, marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown.
- Prepare Skillet for Rice: Remove chicken from the skillet. Scrape off any excess black burnt bits and discard along with excess oil, leaving just enough to cook the onion.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add minced garlic and diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
- Toast Rice: Add uncooked rice to the skillet, stirring constantly to coat the grains with oil and cook until they start becoming translucent.
- Add Liquids and Spices: Pour in chicken broth, water, salt, black pepper, cardamom powder, and add cinnamon sticks. Stir to combine evenly.
- Add Chickpeas and Raisins: Stir in the drained chickpeas and raisins (if using), then place the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. The chicken should be half submerged with skin side up. Pour any juices collected from the plate over the chicken into the skillet.
- Simmer and Bake: Bring the mixture to a simmer on the stovetop. Cover the skillet with a lid or tightly with foil and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake Covered and Uncovered: Bake covered for 35 minutes, then remove the lid or foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the chicken skin.
- Rest: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to settle.
- Finish and Serve: Remove chicken from the rice, fluff the rice to distribute flavors evenly. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro and parsley, alongside a dollop of plain unsweetened yoghurt.
Notes
- Note 1: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide the best flavor and moisture for this dish.
- Note 2: Long grain rice is preferable for pilaf to prevent stickiness.
- Note 3: Marinating is optional but enhances the flavor depth significantly.
- Note 4: Serving with yoghurt balances the spices and adds creaminess.
