Lebanese Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• ¾ cup thin vermicelli pasta (broken into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Set a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-quart capacity) over medium-high heat. Pour in 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and let it shimmer, about 1 minute. Pat 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and cut them into 1-inch pieces — dry meat will develop a golden crust instead of steaming. Working in two batches if needed, add the chicken to the hot oil and let each piece sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until golden on one side. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes until the pieces are golden all over (they don't need to be cooked through yet). Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. 2

   In the same pot with the chicken drippings, add 1 large yellow onion diced into 1/4-inch pieces. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. You should smell the sweet, caramelized aroma. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and stir constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let it brown, or the garlic will turn bitter.

3. 3

   Add 0.75 cup of thin vermicelli pasta broken into 1-inch pieces to the pot with the onions and garlic. Stir constantly over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, moving the pasta around the pot so every strand gets coated in the oil and toasted evenly. You're looking for the pasta to turn light golden — this deep toasting gives riz bil djaj its signature nutty flavor. Stop stirring once you see the first strands turn golden.

4. 4

   Pour in 2 cups of long-grain white rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, coating each grain in the oil and toasted vermicelli. This step toasts the rice slightly, preventing it from becoming mushy. The rice should look glossy and smell warm and slightly toasted.

5. 5

   Return the cooked chicken and any juices on the plate back to the pot. Add 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice, 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stir everything together until well combined — the warm spices should perfume the air. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until you see large bubbles breaking the surface, about 2-3 minutes.

6. 6

   Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 18-20 minutes without lifting the lid — opening it releases steam and unevenly cooks the rice. The rice will absorb the stock as it cooks. At 18 minutes, carefully lift the lid (watch out for the steam!) and test a grain of rice. It should be tender but not mushy, and the liquid should be almost completely absorbed. If there's still liquid, cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove from heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes — this allows the residual heat to finish cooking any remaining grains and helps them separate into distinct, fluffy pieces rather than clumping together. While resting, squeeze 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and warm it gently in a small bowl.

8. 8

   Fluff the rice with a fork, breaking up any clumps and gently combining the chicken throughout. Drizzle with the warm lemon juice and fold gently to distribute. Taste a spoonful and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

9. 9

   Transfer to a serving platter or divide among bowls. Top with 0.25 cup of roughly chopped fresh parsley and 0.25 cup of toasted pine nuts — the pine nuts add a buttery crunch and are traditional in Lebanese cooking. Serve warm, family-style or individually.

Tools you’ll need

• 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• paper towels
• wooden spoon
• instant-read thermometer (optional, to check chicken doneness)
• small bowl
• fork for fluffing
• serving platter or bowls

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