Easy Chicken Pilaf with Nuts

Easy Chicken Pilaf with Nuts is a simple mid week dinner dish. First chicken breast is marinated in yogurt, lemon and a blend of warm spices. Once the chicken is cooked it's added to saffron infused rice, and combined with toasted nuts for added crunch, and freshly chopped parsley.

Chicken and nut pilaf is a dish all my family enjoy and one I serve regularly through the week. This simple dish of spiced chicken breast with rice and nuts is a great mid week dinner.

With some organisation chicken rice pilaf can be prepared a little ahead of time and cooked when ready to serve. This makes it a great dish to serve when entertaining friends and family. Just add some additional fresh side salads.

What I like most about this lemon chicken pilaf with nuts, is that once you've looked out the spices, and marinated the chicken, the dish itself takes very little time to cook.

For an extra layer of flavour, I add saffron infused chicken stock to my chicken rice pilaf.

This is also a great recipe to serve as part of a mezze style dinner. For more recipes read my Easy Mezze Platter Ideas post.

Why you'll love this recipe:

• Contains a great balance of warming spices, but this dish doesn't contain chilli heat.
• Feed a crowd as this recipe can be easily doubled up.
• Hands on prep time is minimal and the actual cook time is really quick too.
• Use a gluten free chicken stock and this is a great dish for serving to Coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet.
• Easy swaps for dairy free and vegan diets are contained later in the post.

How to make Easy Chicken Pilaf:

Marinating the chicken

• Place the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and lemon zest into a bowl, then add all the spices for the marinade. Stir until well combined.
• Now add the chicken pieces and ensure the chicken is completely coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or anything up to 24 hours if time allows - the longer the marinate the tastier the chicken).

Cooking the pilaf

• When ready to make the pilaf, place the saffron strands in a jug, pour over the hot chicken stock and set aside.
• Place a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the nuts to the pan. Roast the nuts in the dry pan, moving them frequently to ensure the nuts do not burn. Set aside once lightly toasted.
• Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large, deep-sided pan. Over a medium heat add the onion and saute for 5 minutes taking care to cook the onions but not colour them. Now add the garlic, cardamon pods and rice to the pan and cook for a further minute.

• Pour the saffron infused chicken stock over the rice mixture, bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the rice has cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the cardamon pods.

• Meanwhile add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a non-stick frying pan (use the same pan used to roast the nuts) and place over a medium/high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan, along with any marinade and brown the chicken on all sides, taking care to ensure that the chicken is cooked through.

• Once the chicken has cooked, add it to the cooked rice, along with the nuts and the freshly chopped parsley. Stir to combine, season to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions:

Marinade ingredients

• Greek yogurt - I use full fat Greek yogurt as it has the best flavor and texture for a marinade. You can use any other natural flavoured yogurt you have in your fridge.
• Lemon - I like to use fresh lemon as it has the best flavour, it also means I can add the zest too. In a pinch you could use fresh bottled lemon juice.
• Spice blend - the chicken is marinated in a blend of smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander and black pepper. If there is a spice you don't like leave it out or swap it for another spice you do like.
• Chicken - I've used chicken breast meat, as that's what I had in my fridge at home. However, this recipe would work equally well with boneless and skinless chicken thighs.

Pilaf ingredients

• Stock - I combine good quality chicken stock with a pinch of saffron strands for extra flavor. You can also use vegetable stock.
• Nuts - I use a combination of toasted cashew nuts, shelled pistachios and pine nuts to add texture and crunch. Only use raw, unsalted nuts, otherwise you risk the dish becoming too salty.
• Butter - I like to cook the onions and rice in a combination of oil and butter for extra flavor. If you prefer you can leave the butter out entirely and add a little extra olive oil.
• Oil - I use regular olive oil in this dish, you can also use any other light oil. Don't be tempted to use extra virgin olive oil as it has too low a burn temperature.
• Vegetables - I use a large brown or yellow onion in this dish, along with freshly crushed garlic. You can use white or red onion, or even some shallots if you prefer.
• Rice - I prefer to use basmati rice in this dish as it's the rice I use most at home. You can use any variety of white rice, or even some brown rice, or brown basmati rice. Just check the instructions on the packaging for cooking times and adjust the recipe accordingly.
• Fresh herbs - I finish the dish by stirring through some freshly chopped parsley. You could also use mint or coriander (cilantro), or try a combination of fresh herbs.
• Seasoning - Always check the rice for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Recipe variations:

This dish can be easily adapted to your families tastes:

• Spices - the spices in this dish are very easily adapted. If there is something that you don't like, then leave it out, or add something else.
• Nuts - if there's a nut you don't like, leave it out or swap it for another nut. For example swap cashew for flaked almonds.
• Dried fruits - feel free to add some dried fruits such as sultanas or apricots.
• Chicken - use leftover chicken from the weekends roast in place of the marinated chicken. Just add the cooked chicken to the rice along with nuts and herbs and warm through.
• Dairy free - for a dairy free version of this dish, swap the Greek yogurt for a dairy-free alternative and swap the butter for an extra tablespoon of olive oil.

Can I make a vegan version of this dish?

This recipe is very easily adapted for vegetarian and vegan diners. In place of the chicken, marinate a cauliflower instead. Break up the cauliflower into florets and place in the marinade. Before adding to the rice, roast the cauliflower on a non-stick tray in the oven at 200C/180CFan for 25-30 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to the rice dish along with any cooking juices.

Furthermore substitute the chicken stock used here for vegetable stock. Remember if serving vegan diners, opt for a suitable vegan yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. Also ensure you omit the butter when preparing the rice and replace it with a little extra olive oil.

Serving suggestions:

This is a filling meal in one, so I keep any sides simple, a green salad would be ideal. Serve with some extra fresh parsley to garnish the dish and a wedge of lemon so everyone can add a little more lemon juice if they like.

Useful hints & tips:

1. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, but ideally earlier in the day or overnight if time allows. Not only does this result is deliciously flavoured chicken, but cuts down on prep time when you're in a rush to get dinner on the table.
2. Don't walks away when toasting the nuts as nuts are full of oil and burn really quickly. So keep an eye on the nuts, tossing them in the pan regularly as they toast.
3. Don't be heavy handed with the saffron! Saffron adds wonderful flavour to this dish, but don't be too heavy handed with it. Only add a pinch to the hot chicken stock.
4. Remember to remove the cardamon pods once the rice has cooked. I frequently forget to do this and nobody ever thanks me when they crunch into a pod!
5. To enjoy this dish at it's best I recommend serving this easy chicken and rice dish straight from the pan as soon as it's cooked, when the flavours are at their vibrant best.
6. Allergy advice: This recipe contains dairy and a variety of nuts. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

Storing Easy Chicken Pilaf:

• Make ahead: get ahead by marinating the chicken earlier in the day or the day before and storing in the fridge until you are ready to cook. You can also toast the nuts at the same time, then allow to cool and store in an airtight container on the counter top until you are ready to cook the rice.
• Fridge: Once cooked and cooled, this dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave to piping hot when ready to serve.
• Freezer: Once cooked and cooled, chicken pilaf can be stored for 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

• Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Asparagus
• Stir-fry Chicken & Cashew Nuts
• Moroccan Chickpea Stew with Harissa
• Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Asparagus & Pancetta
• Butter Chicken Curry
• Chorizo & Bean Stew with Roast Chicken
• Guinea Fowl Supreme with Chicken Jus

Looking for inspiration for feeding the family mid week, then take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Family Dinners. Full of useful hints, tips and recipes.