Crispy Salt & Pepper Chicken with Turmeric Rice

There's Rice (and Chicken) at Home Episode 6

Hello and happy Friday! Welcome back to There’s Rice (and Chicken) at Home – a series where I share easy, flavour-packed chicken and rice recipes inspired by some of my favourite cuisines. I’m so sorry I’ve been MIA for the past two weeks – I’ve been wrapped up in a couple of big projects that took up all my time.

But I’m back! And this week’s recipe is worth the wait: Crispy Salt & Pepper Chicken with Turmeric Rice. It’s easy, full of flavour and all comes together in one pan. You get perfectly juicy, crispy-skinned chicken and fluffy, chicken-y rice that goes a little crispy in places.

There are two small hacks that really take this dish up a notch. First: baking powder. You add a bit to the chicken seasoning mix, along with Chinese five spice, ground Sichuan peppercorns and salt. It might sound odd, but it makes a big difference. The baking powder (slightly) raises the pH level, which helps the skin crisp up more evenly. It also reacts with the natural moisture in the chicken to create tiny bubbles on the surface – and it’s those bubbles that give you that crackly, crunchy skin we all love (well, I certainly do).

Second: instead of nestling the chicken into the rice, you cook it on a rack above. This lets hot air circulate around the chicken, keeping the skin nice and crispy instead of it steaming and going soggy (because steam = moisture = limp skin). Meanwhile, all that rendered chicken fat drips down into the rice, giving you deep, savoury flavour all the way through. You get the best of both worlds: perfectly crispy chicken and deeply savoury, slightly crispy rice underneath.

I really hope you’ll give this one a go – and if you do, I’d love to hear what you think.

Crispy Salt & Pepper Chicken with Turmeric Rice

Serves 6

For the chicken:

• 1kg bone-in chicken thighs

• 2 tsp Chinese five spice

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1-2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground (to taste)

• 1 tsp salt

For the rice:

• 350g white jasmine rice

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 500ml chicken stock

• 2 tsp ground turmeric

For the sauce:

• 4 spring onions, very thinly sliced

• ½–1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (to taste)

• 75ml vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)

• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat your oven to 220°C / fan 200°C. Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen towel.

2. In a large bowl, mix the Chinese five spice, baking powder, ground Sichuan peppercorns and salt until well-combined. Add the chicken and toss until it’s evenly coated.

3. Wash the rice in cold water until it runs clear, then drain. 

4. Lightly oil a large cast-iron (or non-stick) roasting tin or casserole dish. Add the drained rice, onion, garlic, chicken stock and turmeric. Season generously with salt and stir to combine.

5. Place a rack over the rice and brush it lightly with oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on top. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and crisp and the rice is cooked through and starting to crisp up in places.

6. While the chicken’s roasting, place the spring onions and ginger in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully pour it over the spring onion and ginger. Add the chilli flakes (if using), season with salt (to taste) and stir to combine.

7. To serve, spoon plenty of the sauce over the chicken and rice. Add your favourite steamed greens on the side and tuck in.

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I’ll be back next week with the final (!!!) There’s Rice (and Chicken) at Home recipe. See you then!

Big love and happy cooking,

Zena x