Chicken with Roasted Fennel & Citrus Rice


Ingredients:
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 Tbs freshly chopped oregano
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
salt & freshly ground pepper
4 chicken quarters
1/2 lemon finely sliced
1 fennel bulb trimmed
2 tsp olive oil
4 plum tomatoes
25g/1 oz stoned green olives

For the rice:
225g/8 oz long grain rice I usually use a blend of different ‘rices’. My favorite is a brown basmati and wild rice mix.
finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
150ml/1/4 pint boiling chicken stock

To garnish:
fennel fronds
orange slices

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/ 400 degrees F/ Gas mark 6.
Gently crush fennel seeds, mix with oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.
Place between the skin and flesh of the chicken breasts, carefully do not to tear the skin. Arrange the lemon slices on top of the chicken.

2. Cut fennel into 8 wedges. Place on baking tray with the chicken. Lightly brush the fennel with the oil. Cook the chicken and fennel on the top shelf of the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place rice in a 2.3l/4 pint ovenproof dish. Stir in the lemon rind and juice, orange juice and stock. Cover with a lid and place on the middle shelf of the oven

4 Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/ Gas mark 4. Cook the chicken for 40 minutes more, turning the fennel wedges and lemon slices once. Deseed and chop the tomatoes. Add to the tray and cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven.

5. When cooled slightly, remove chicken skin and discard. Garnish with fennel fronds, orange slices and serve

6. Fluff rice, and sprinkle stoned olives over dish. Garnish with fennel fronds, orange slices and save for carbohydrate 3 hours later.

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