Chicken with Rice

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 300 g long-grain rice
• 1 large onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 60 ml sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp summer savory (chubritsa)
• 2 bay leaves
• 750 ml hot chicken stock
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Steps

1. 1
   Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper and leave it to sit while you prepare the vegetables.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes. Lift the pieces out and set them aside.
3. 3
   Add the finely chopped onion and grated carrot to the same pan and cook until the onion turns golden, about 6 minutes.
4. 4
   Stir in the rice and toast it for 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat before stirring through the paprika so it cannot burn.
5. 5
   Tip the rice into a baking dish, tuck in the bay leaves and savory, and pour over the hot stock. It should sit about two fingers above the rice.
6. 6
   Arrange the browned chicken on top, skin side up, pressing only lightly so the pieces stay above the liquid and crisp in the oven.
7. 7
   Bake at 200°C for 40-45 minutes, until the rice has drunk up the stock and the skin is deep golden.
8. 8
   Rest the dish for 10 minutes before serving so the last of the stock settles into the rice.