Pileshko s Oriz (Bulgarian Chicken with Rice)
Bulgaria's everyday one-pan dinner of chicken pieces baked directly on a bed of rice and broth - an Ottoman-era dish adapted into Bulgarian home cooking - nestling the raw rice under the chicken instead of cooking it separately is what lets it soak up the rendered chicken fat and broth as it bakes, turning richer than plain steamed rice ever could.
⏱ 60 min🍽 4 servings
dinner
Ingredients
- •3 lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in
- •1 1/2 cups rice
- •1 onion, chopped
- •1 carrot, diced
- •3 cups chicken broth
- •3 tbsp butter, melted
- •1 tsp paprika
- •1 bay leaf
- •Salt to taste
- •Pepper to taste
Steps
- 1.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- 2.Spread the rice, onion, and carrot in an even layer across the bottom of a deep baking dish.
- 3.Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the rice.
- 4.Pour the warm chicken broth evenly around the chicken, not directly over it, and tuck in the bay leaf - nestling the raw rice under the chicken like this is what lets it soak up the rendered fat and broth as everything bakes together, turning richer than rice cooked separately ever could.
- 5.Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken skin.
- 6.Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- 7.Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the chicken skin is golden and the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.
- 8.Let rest for 5 minutes before serving directly from the dish.