Rice Pilaf Chef John Recipes

BAKED "FRIED" RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place rice in a large baking dish. Drizzle in canola and sesame oils; toss to coat rice completely. Add garlic, green onions, bell peppers, carrots, peas, and ham. Season with salt. Stir until well combined.
• Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, and chile paste in a pot over high heat. Stir and bring to a boil. Pour on top of the rice and stir briefly. Cover top tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 32 minutes. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes. Uncover; fluff rice with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Return to the oven until rice is browned and crusted, about 10 minutes.

CLASSIC RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion is lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine rice and onion mixture in a 9x13-inch casserole dish placed on a baking sheet. Stir thoroughly to coat the rice.
• Combine chicken stock, salt, saffron, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour chicken stock mixture over rice in the casserole dish and stir to combine. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove foil and fluff with a fork to separate the grains of rice.

CHICKEN RICE-A-RONI®

Steps:

• Place chicken, celery, carrot, onion, and bay leaf in a stockpot and cover with water. Set over high heat, add salt, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the thighs and legs can be pulled easily from the carcass, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl, carefully tipping the carcass to drain any broth from the cavity back into the stockpot.
• Let meat sit until it's cool enough to handle, 15 to 20 minutes. Separate skin, bones, and meat. Set aside 2 cups shredded meat (white, dark, or a combination of the two) for rice-a-roni and reserve the rest for another use.
• Transfer skin and bones back to the stockpot with the broth and simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until you need it. Strain.
• Combine oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot and melted, add onion, bell pepper, and salt. Cook and stir until onion just starts to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broken spaghetti and cook until toasted and light golden brown to dark brown in color, about 3 minutes; it's okay if the onions and peppers start to caramelize.
• Add rice and stir until completely coated. Add pepper, oregano, cumin, and saffron. Stir in 3 ½ cups chicken broth. Add cayenne, garbanzo beans, peas, and shredded chicken and return to a simmer.
• Cover tightly with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes; do not lift the lid or stir during this time.
• Remove the lid and check the rice in a couple spots. It should be just barely tender. (If it seems undercooked, you can cover and cook for a few more minutes.) Replace the lid, turn off the heat, and let rice sit for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle parsley and cilantro over top and stir to combine. Check for seasoning and serve immediately.

RICE-AH-RONI

Steps:

• Mix together salt, pepper, coriander, mustard powder, celery salt, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and pasta. Cook and stir until onions soften and pasta turns golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in spice blend; cook and stir about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir until rice is coated with butter, about 1 minute.
• Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Stir; reduce heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat; let covered skillet sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in parsley, fluffing rice and breaking up any clumps.