Mediterranean Chicken With Sticky Rice, Orange, Olives + Anchovy
This dish combines all my favorite elements, and is perfect to end summer and welcome fall — with hints of brightness, both salty and sweet … aren’t we al? It takes about 10 minutes to make and just over forty in the oven. Portion wise, appetite dependent, it costs out to just about 5$ or under per person. All in all its cheap, easy, fast, healthy and really fcking good. Ingredient you’re not into? Don’t use it. Missing something but have something else on hand? Use it. You’ll notice is speak loosely in my recipes — I’m much more creative than into the math or science thing…which is why I’m not a baker. Nothing below is exacting. Food to me is feeling, and how I show love. So when someone recently asked if I would be open to some sort of meal delivery — cooking for them weekly, I was flattered but disagreed. Food is as much for the heart and soul as it is for the belly. So when I cook, I opt into less measurement and more feeling. A little of this, taste of that … sensory — touch it, feel it, taste it, adjust as necessary. Make this dish, trust me — you’ll show up like the rockstar you already are. xx
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Mediterranean Chicken With Sticky Rice, Orange, Olives + Anchovy
Serves 2-4
**1/2 can anchovies, chopped (cento is just fine)
EVOO
4-6 chicken thighs, skin on
1 sweet or yellow onion, sliced
1 head of fennel, sliced (fronds reserved for garnish)
As many garlic cloves as you like, smashed and chopped (I used 4-5)
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
Wine, whatever you have on hand (I’ve used dry white, or rose … ) about 3/4 cup
1 juicy navel orange, half juiced, half sliced
***1/2 cup casteveltrano olives, or olives of choice
1/4 cup raisins, optional
About 1 cup of sticky (sushi) rice
At least 2+ cups chicken stock, bone broth, beef broth, liquid
1/4 toasted pine nuts, optional
Fresh herbs, optional
Orange zest for a little kick
**Anchovy is my #1 rated ingredient. Maybe because I secretly wanted to be a Ninja Turtle growing up but goal has shifted to be less turtle more splinter. Anyways, you can’t taste them once its all cooked together. Try it out — I doubt you’ll notice, or doubt you’ll hate them. Its flavor.
***Castelvetrano Olives are also my favorite, bright green and when placed in an ice cold 50:50 gin/vermouth martini, their flavor and texture taste rich like mozzarella cheese. I think you could sprinkle them on top of the dish cold, straight from the fridge before serving, but in the recipe, their cooked, less crisp, more melted mozz in this rendition. Try it either way. (I don’t buy a jar instead just get them from Whole Foods olive bar)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an oven proof pot or cast iron pain, heat EVOO until smoking. Add thighs skin side down to sizzle. Season liberally. Let them get brown and juicy — you’ll know when to flip, peak, or just trust yourself. Figure about 7 minutes. Time makes no sense to me. Flip. Season other side. Cook until about half way done. Remove from pain to paper towels. Reserve fat in pain (you can remove, but that doesn’t feel fun. Use what you have!) Saute onions, garlic, fennel on medium heat until browned but not burned. Add anchovies which will melt (and basically disappear, but leave amazing flavor, like magic!) Add the tomato paste and using a spatula or wooden spin mix until distributed evenly. Let the flavors melt before adding the olives, raisins, and sticky rice. Add juice of 1/2 orange. Stir. Deglaze with wine. Let the liquid cook out before adding the chicken thighs back in, skin side up. Add at least two cups of stock, *you’ll need more before dish is finished. Arrange orange slices atop dish. Make it look pretty. Cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes. At 30, uncover and check if the rice is still a little too crispy. It will be. Add more stock. Raise temp up to at least 425 or broil for just about 5-8 minutes. This will crisp the chicken skin and continue rehydrating the rice. This part takes a bit of finesse. I like to turn the oven off, depending if the rice is done and making sure the chicken does not overcook (if need be, can remove chicken from oven, pour more stock over rice) and just let sit in OFF oven.
To serve, a bit more acid (depending on the wine used…), taste it. Can sprinkle some orange juice or zest, and a fruity olive oil drizzle on top. Fresh herbs. Voila.