One Pan Greek Chicken and Rice with Olive Salsa Drizzle and Dilly Yoghurt
Because who doesn't love a one pan supper!
A truly delicious recipe for all those bung-it-in-the-oven cooks out there. One pot cooking has been my go-to style of home cooking of late. It’s just such a satisfying way of cooking. I love the ease, and more than that I love how little washing up there is.
This is so flavoursome and delicious and really very simple to put together. I use to never like fennel, but I’ve grown to really like it, probably because my mum started loving it and so began putting it in everything and so I really had no choice. I know she will be reading this, and so to her I will say I love you, and you know that is true. I particularly like it when it’s cooked, although the restaurant I worked in made a very good simple fennel and rocket salad, plainly dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper to go with their crispy squid and oh my goodness it was so good. This is also a very good salad with some thin slices of orange, and I say that as someone who doesn’t love adding fruit to savoury dishes. Anyway, here the cooked fennel works so well. The flavours of lemon, fennel and olives are just so good. Of course if you really don’t like fennel you can leave it out but if you’re on the fence, give it a go as it’s a mellow backdrop to this dish and it’s so so good.
You know by now crispy chicken thighs are my weakness. You also probably know that I have a podcast called Desert Island Dishes where I interview people about the dishes that have shaped their lives. Some people occasionally ask if I will ever do an episode where I talk about my own answers and honestly? I worry my answers might disappoint - and so perhaps it’s better to maintain an air of mystery. Like 007 but instead of a martini I would like crispy chicken thighs please.
The podcast is coming back soon for another season which is very exciting! (You can listen here). And it’s been keeping me busy. And when life is busy I love one pot recipes more than usual.
Last year I shared another one pan chicken and rice recipe and you all loved it, so I thought it was time to share another variation on the same theme.
The chopped olive salsa in this recipe is also something I’ve been making on repeat in various forms. I love it drizzled over this, but it’s also delicious on crispy skinned fish, or slow roasted lamb. It’s so quick to put together and is very forgiving. Just chopped olives, some chopped herbs, plenty of olive oil and a little seasoning. You can add garlic but I actually don’t hear (shock horror I KNOW - I’m never one to usually hold back when it comes to garlic) but the olives do the heavy lifting here. And really its simplicity is what makes it so delicious I think. This is a very good drizzle up your sleeve. Not literally… but in your repertoire so to speak.
Serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers - see Notes)