How to Make Russian Chicken Rice Pilaf - Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" x 1" cubes

3 cups brown rice, rinsed

4 1/2 cups water

3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

3-4 medium carrots, cut into "straws"

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp turmeric

1 full head of garlic, unpeeled

Rinse rice really well with cold water until water runs clear. Soak for 1 hour in hot water with a pinch of salt.
Rinse and cut chicken breasts into 1.5" x 1" cubes.
Peel onions, cut in halves and slice thinly.
Peel carrots and cut them into "straws". It is a good idea to buy packaged shredded carrots. Saves a lot of time! Do not grate carrots.
Measure spices.
Preheat dutch oven and add olive oil to it. Add onions and cook on a high heat until barely golden brown.
Add chicken and cook 7-10 minutes. You should see juice coming out of meat and it will have some brown sides. Do not stir often. Keep the high heat.
Add carrots, mix, cover, reduce heat to medium high and cook for 20-30 minutes. There should be less juices now.
Remove lid and cook another 5-10 mins until the carrots brown a little bit. Add water, paprika, cumin, turmeric, head of garlic, salt. Stir and cook for 15 minutes.
Drain the rice, add to the dutch oven, stir, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 mins.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve immediately with squeezed out garlic from the cloves. Once garlic is cooked it will come out easily from the cloves.