Baked Chicken and Rice

This is one of my favorite chicken dishes. It's quick and easy. And it's perfect for Sukkot! Baharat is a blend of spices that may include cinnamon, cloves and chile peppers. If the spices in this recipe don't appeal to you, substitute others, like oregano, dill or tarragon.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 ½ cups brown rice, rinsed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground baharat (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups water
2 ½ - 3 pounds chicken, cut into pieces and skin removed

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, stirring, until golden. Put the onion into a large shallow baking dish or casserole. Add the rice to the onions and mix together.

Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl. Set aside a few teaspoons of the mixture and add the remaining spices to the water. Pour this over the rice in the baking dish. Place the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture.

Cover tightly and bake for one hour. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned.

4-6 servings