This dish made me think of my beautiful Turkish friend, Hulya. I wish I could share this meal with her! One day I hope she and I will be cooking alongside each other in the same kitchen.
INGREDIENTS:
12 oz carrots, cut lengthwise like french fries
2 pcs scallions, sliced and whites separated from the greens
1 lemon, zested and quartered
1 TBS Harissa spice
1 TBS Turkish spice blend*
1/2 oz almond slivers
1/2 c basmati rice
10 oz chicken cutlets
2 TBS butter (I use Kerry Gold grass-fed butter)
2 tsp olive oil (NOT extra virgin)
2 TBS apricot jam
1 TBS chicken stock concentrate
salt and pepper for seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 425F and position the rack to top slot.
On a baking sheet, toss your carrots in a drizzle of oil and 1/4 tsp of Harissa powder, along with some salt and pepper. I like to use parchment paper because it's easier to clean up and I don't have to worry about carrots burning and sticking to the tray itself. Roast it in the oven for about 15 minutes until it's lightly browned (at some point you may need to give them a flip or shake to even out the cook).
Take a small, dry pot and heat over medium-high heat. Toss in almond slivers and toast them for about 4 minutes. No need for oil since the almonds themselves have oil. Once toasted, transfer them to another bowl and wipe up the pot. Using that same pot and over medium-high heat, melt 1 TBS of butter and cook half of the scallion whites until they are softened. Then stir in the uncooked rice until coated well in the butter, add 3/4 c water, and season with salt. Bring it all to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Once done cooking, turn off the heat, keep it covered, and set aside until ready to serve.
While rice is cooking, take your chicken cutlets and pat them dry. Season well with the Turkish spice, plus salt and pepper. In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned and cooked through (5 minutes per side). Once cooked, remove the chicken from the heat and transfer to a plate and let it rest (resting the meat before slicing or cutting up to serve allows the juices to redistribute so you don't end up with dry chicken).
Wipe the pan clean and then add another small drizzle of oil. This time over medium heat, cook the rest of the scallion whites until softened. Then stir in the jam, the chicken stock, and 1/4 c of water. Simmer until reduced and thickened and then add a squeeze of lemon juice. This will give it vibrance and open up the flavors even more. Turn off the heat after about 3 more minutes of simmering and then add 1 TBS butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
To plate, take a fork and fluff up the rice. Stir in the toasted almond slivers and lemon zest and season again with salt and pepper as needed. Scoop onto serving plate, next to it the chicken and then carrots. With a spoon, drizzle the sauce all over the chicken. Garnish with scallion greens and serve!
*Turkish spice blend: cumin, garlic powder, coriander, allspice, chili flakes.