Turkish-Inspired Chicken & Rice

Posted by jorinced on
Shredded Chicken with chickpea rice and vegetables

This week, I embarked on a journey to Turkey, a place that has always held a special place in my heart due to its rich and satisfying flavors. In this meal prep, I’m sharing a recipe for 8 servings, perfect for enjoying over the course of four days (for 4 lunches and dinners). Keep in mind that cooked meat is best refrigerated for up to 4 days, but if you want to extend its shelf life, consider freezing the food for later enjoyment.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3.5 pounds of chicken breast
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cloves
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 2 onions
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of black pepper
  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 10 cloves of garlic

Chickpea Rice:

  • 2 cups of rice
  • 2 cups of boiled chickpeas
  • 3 cups of chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste)

Salad

  • 8 cups of broccoli
  • 4 cups of carrots (cut into 1-inch thick slices)

Instructions:

Preparing the Chicken

  1. Start by washing the chicken breasts thoroughly.
  2. In a large stockpot, combine the chicken breasts with bay leaves, cloves, celery sticks, medium to large roughly chopped onions, salt, black pepper, butter, and garlic. Add water until the chicken is fully submerged.
  3. Allow the mixture to boil for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
  4. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and let it cool for a few minutes.
  5. Shred the chicken using a fork, creating a pulled chicken texture.
  6. Strain the chicken stock and save the liquid to use for cooking the rice.

Preparing the Chickpea Rice:

  1. Rinse the 2 cups of rice until the water runs clear.
  2. Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the Instant Pot, followed by the rinsed rice.
  4. Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes until it becomes slightly translucent.
  5. Add in the chicken stock, salt, and 2 cups of chickpeas.
  6. Seal the Instant Pot and select the Rice mode for steaming.
  7. Allow the rice to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Preparing the Salad:

  1. In a stockpot or large bottom pan, add 500ml of water and add a pinch of salt to it.
  2. Bring the water to a boil and add the broccoli.
  3. Cook the broccoli for 6-8 minutes until it’s tender.
  4. Remove the broccoli from the pan and add the carrot slices.

Food Storage:

Store the shredded chicken, rice, and salad in airtight containers and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. To portion the meal, add rice to the larger compartment. Add chicken and salad to the smaller compartments.

Reheating & Serving:

To reheat, simply place the meal in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Season with a pinch of black pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy: Rice, Chicken

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