Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Cut: Bone-in chicken

Ingredients

1 Tbsp (15 ml) paprika
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground coriander
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper
2 ½ lb chicken pieces (bone-in, skin on)
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
1 ½ cups (375 ml) basmati rice (rinsed)
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (shake well before opening)
1-1/4 cup (310 ml) chicken broth
3/4 cup (180 ml) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus extra to garnish

Preparation

Combine paprika, ground coriander, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over chicken and set aside.

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook bacon until browned but not crisp.

Remove bacon from pot and set aside. Raise heat to medium high. In two batches, brown chicken in the bacon fat turning to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove chicken from pot and set aside. Drain fat from pot.

Reduce heat to medium and return pot to heat. Add the cooked bacon, chopped onions and thyme to pot. Stir cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to combine. Pour in coconut milk and chicken broth and stir to combine.

Tuck chicken pieces into rice mixture. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer chicken and rice for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked (internal temperature of thickest part of chicken should read 165°F (74°C) and liquid is mostly absorbed. Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Gently mix in cilantro, fluffing rice with a fork. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.