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One-pot beetroot chicken rice

By: Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

Published: 7 Oct 24
Updated: 7 Oct 24

With beetroot adding its striking colour to every grain, this one-pot chicken dish uses the absorption method to get perfectly fluffy rice that’s packed with earthy sweetness. Lemon, dill and a trio of coriander, fennel and caraway seeds add a bright, zesty finish.

Discover more easy one-pots for busy nights.

Easy
October 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 45 min. Simmering time 40 min, plus 10 min resting

Discover more easy one-pots for busy nights.

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories: 546kcals
Fat: 14g (3g saturated)
Protein: 31g
Carbohydrates: 70g (11g sugars)
Fibre: 6.1g
Salt: 1.3g

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Before you start

Wash your rice! It’s a key step to avoid claggy, sticky grains. Cover the rice with cold water, then shape your hand into a claw and use it to stir the grains, turning the water cloudy. Drain the water and repeat the process twice more. Leave the rice soaking in water right until it’s ready to go in the pan, then drain it fully and give it a final rinse in a sieve.

This is good practice for any rice dish unless it’s a paella, risotto or rice pudding – in which case, you want to keep the starch to create creaminess.

Before you start

This is good practice for any rice dish unless it’s a paella, risotto or rice pudding – in which case, you want to keep the starch to create creaminess.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp caraway seeds
1 onion, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g beetroot, roots scrubbed and grated, stalks (if they have them) finely chopped
350g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
300g long grain brown rice, soaked (see Before You Start)
600ml vegetable stock
Finely grated zest and juice
1 lemon
10g dill, chopped
Natural yogurt to serve

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Method

Put the oil in a large pan (one with a lid) or casserole over a medium heat, then add the seeds and cook for 1 minute or until they start to crackle. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and two thirds of the beetroot stalks and cook for 6 minutes.
Season the chicken with salt, add to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 4 minutes until browned a little all over.
Drain and rinse the rice (see Before You Start), then add to the pan. Stir for a minute, then add the stock, grated beetroot, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir, then cover with the lid. As soon as it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to low-medium and leave to simmer gently for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Stir in the rest of the beetroot stalks and set aside to quick-pickle, stirring every now and then while the rice cooks.
Without removing the lid, take the pan off the heat and leave for another 10 minutes to finish cooking. Serve scattered with the pickled beetroot stalks and the dill, then finish with a big dollop of yogurt and some more black pepper.