Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice

I love this recipe for so many different reasons. One, its pretty easy. Two, everything cooks in the same dish which means an easier clean-up. And three, it always impresses. It's one of those that seems like you've pulled out all the kitchen guru deals that everyone turns and bows down to you for. Where in reality it was simple to make.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons of barberries, or use fresh currants
* The first time I made this dish it was in the fall/early winter and I was lucky enough to find fresh currants at the local farmers market. Every other time I have just left them out and the dish is still amazing.
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 1/4 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, or 1 whole chicken quartered (my preference gives more variety to meat selection)
salt and freshly ground pepper
10 cardamom pods or 1 1/2 tsp of ground cardamom (easier to find)
rounded 1/4 tsp whole cloves
2 long cinnamon sticks, broken in two
1 2/3 cup basmati rice
2 1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dill leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup greek yogurt, mixed with 2 tables spoons of olive oil (optional but delicious)

Preparation:
 1. If you are using barberries, put the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the barberries, and set aside to soak. If using currants you do not have to do this. If using neither, skip to step 2.

2. Heat half of the olive oil in a large saute pan, for which you had a lid, over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has turned a deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and wipe the pan clean.

3. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Add the remaining olive oil, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and use your hands to mix everything together well. Heat the frying pan again and place the chicken and spices in it. Sear chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side (you want the skin to get brown and crispy) and remove from the pan. The spices can stay in the pan, but don't worry if they stick to the chicken. Remove most of the remaining oil as well, leaving just a thing film at the bottom.

4. Add the rice to the pan, the caramelized onion, 1 tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. If using barberries, drain them and add them as well or the currants at this time. Stir well and return the seared chicken to the pan, pushing it into the rice.

5. Pour the boiling water over the rice and chicken, cover the pan, and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, remove the lid, quickly plan a clean tea/kitchen hand towel over the pan, and seal again with the lid. Leave the dish undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Finally add the herbs and use a fork to stir them in and fluff up the rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot or warm with yogurt mixture if you like.

Enjoy! 

original dish can be found here