Autumn Recipes - Braised Chicken & Rice

Ingredients:

1kg chicken pieces – thighs and legs
300 grams biodynamic brown rice (or jasmine rice)
1 litre chicken stock
100ml water – use only if using biodynamic brown rice as extra liquid is required
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1 pouch Curry Favour yellow curry paste
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp palm sugar or castor sugar (optional)
2 tbsp light flavoured oil
1 cinnamon quill
1 cucumber, cut in rounds on the diagonal
Herbs such as coriander, Thai basil and mint
1 lime

Method: 

1. Mix half a sachet of yellow curry paste with 2 tbsp fish and a pinch of castor sugar.  Toss chicken through paste marinade a large bowl and leave for 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
2. Turn oven to 180 degrees fan forced.
   
   
3. Place chicken stock and water (is using brown rice) in a pot and gently bring to the boil.
   
   
4. Heat oil in a heavy based oven proof pan.  Pan fry chicken pieces until golden and caramelised.  Remove from pan and set aside.
   
   
5. Add the remainder of the curry paste to the pan to cook off.  If the curry paste sticks to the pan, add a little bit of chicken stock to deglaze.  Add fish sauce and remaining sugar and cook for 1 minute.
   
   
6. Add rice to the pan followed by the cherry tomatoes and cook for a minute or so.
   
   
7. Add the hot stock and bring to a simmer. 
   
   
8. Add pan fried chicken pieces and a cinnamon quill (if using). 
   
   
9. Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice and chicken are cooked. 
   
   
10. Scatter with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice.