Make this simple chicken one-pot with festive spices for bring-a-dish parties – it’s packed with warming flavour
Prep:15 mins
Serves 4 – 6
1.8-2kg whole chicken, jointed and the breasts divided in two, or use four legs, jointed into drumsticks and thighs5 garlic cloves5cm piece of ginger, peeled5 spring onions, 2 roughly chopped, 3 finely chopped2 tsp ground pimento½ tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp ground black pepper1 tsp ground cumin2 tsp thyme leaves3 tbsp olive oil1 onion, finely chopped1 red pepper, finely chopped600g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes5 cloves350g long-grain white rice700ml chicken stock
STEP 1Slash all the chicken pieces twice each through the skin using a sharp knife. Tip the garlic, ginger, roughly chopped spring onions, pimento, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, 2 tsp salt and the thyme into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Rub this over the chicken to coat, pushing it into the slashes and rubbing it in as deeply as possible. Reserve any you don’t use.STEP 2Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based, deep saucepan (a cast-iron pot works well) over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken pieces all over. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and scrape any browned bits from the base. Add the onion, red pepper, squash, most of the remaining spring onions and cloves, and stir to coat in the oil. Pour in 100ml water and cook for 5 mins more.STEP 3Add any leftover marinade and cook for 1-2 mins, then stir in the rice and cook for 1-2 mins more. Tip the mixture into a large bowl.STEP 4Return the chicken pieces to the pan, skin-side down. Tip over the rice and veg mixture, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with foil and the lid, and cook for 25 mins. When the rice is tender, turn off the heat and leave to rest for 10 mins, then remove the lid and foil, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 2 mins, stirring until you can hear the chicken sizzling.STEP 5Spoon the rice and veg onto a large serving platter, top with the chicken and scatter over the rest of the finely chopped spring onion.
