We are big fans of Nadiya Hussain in our house. When my boys spotted this Chicken and Rice Traybake on her show we decided to try it the next week. It really was as simple and comforting as we had hoped! First you briefly bake onions and garlic in a casserole dish, then mix in rice, lay on some chicken drumsticks and pour over stock. Later add peas. The oven gently cooks everything through, and the rice goes temptingly crispy at the edges.
Freddy (my oldest) helped rub the chicken with some oil and onion powder for extra flavour, followed by a very thorough washing of his hands. Robin (my youngest) helped stir in the rice and pour over the stock.
Then they tucked in! We all loved it, including Freddy. Don’t let his face deceive you – he just refuses to smile for photos…
Here is my simplified version of the recipe. For an alternative meal you could try different vegetables, and perhaps fish instead of the chicken. Allow about 10 mins prep plus 1 hour cooking : )
Chicken and Rice Traybake (serves 3-4)
Oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed/chopped fine
160g basmati rice
400ml vegetable or chicken stock
150g frozen peas
For the chicken
4-6 chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp oil e.g. vegetable oil/olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Lightly grease a large roasting tray and put in the onion and garlic. Drizzle over some oil and give the onions a stir. Bake for 10 minutes, making sure they don’t begin to burn.
Meanwhile, for the chicken, mix 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tbsp oil in a bowl. Rub the oil mixture all over the drumsticks (and make sure you thoroughly wash your hands afterwards!)
Take the onions out of the oven and add the rice. Stir well, then put the drumsticks on top. Pour in the stock. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, lift the chicken drumsticks on to a side plate, then add the peas to the rice and lightly stir them through. Replace the chicken pieces and bake without the foil for another 15 minutes.
katielovescooking 