Turmeric Chicken Recipe with Rice

Turmeric Chicken and Rice

5.0

(3,496)

6 Reviews

"This is a simple one-pot chicken and rice dish, but the turmeric adds color, spice, and flavor," Edward Lee says. "That makes it a winner in my house."

Edward Lee

Updated on October 1, 2023

Active Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Yield:

4 servings

Frequently asked questions

Can you add raw chicken to rice?

This is a one-pot meal, so it does require the chicken and rice to cook together. Instead of adding the chicken to the rice raw, however, we first brown both sides in turmeric butter to build deep flavor. The chicken is set aside while the aromatics do their thing, then returned to the pot to simmer with the rice and finish cooking all the way through.

What flavors go well with turmeric?

The presence of earthy turmeric in recipes often signals the inclusion of some usual suspects — namely, warming spices like the cinnamon and ginger here. It's also a key ingredient in curry powder, where it's typically blended with cumin, coriander, mustard, and pepper.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This chicken and rice recipe comes together in one large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven — and only requires about a half hour of hands-on work time. It's incredibly cozy and warming, with a mild curry flavor to suit palates of all ages. Don't skip the accompaniments here. The plain yogurt provides a creamy tang and the cucumbers a fresh crunch; lime and mint awaken the dish's other flavors. Lee recommends using a whole organic chicken so you know exactly where the bird came from and serving the dish family-style.

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Ingredients

1 (4 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups jasmine rice
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 cups chicken stock
Plain whole yogurt, for serving
Sliced cucumbers, for serving
Mint leaves, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sprinkle with the turmeric. Add the chicken skin side down and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned on both sides, 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the onion, ginger, and garlic to the casserole and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and rice and stir constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pot, skin side up. Add the bay leaves, fish sauce, and chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Adjust the lid to cover partially and simmer until the rice is cooked, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, uncover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with yogurt, cucumbers, mint, and lime wedges.