Potted chicken with fluffy rice pilaf

A nice, traditional recipe which is very popular during the Winter months and a great idea for Sunday's dinner. It needs time with all these pots and pans but in the end the result will satisfy you and your family to the full!

Adapted from a recipe of Vassilis Kallides,
a prominent Head Cook and food author
from "Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4-6 people)

For the chicken:
1 whole chicken (about 1 ½ Kg)
3/4 tea-cup of butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in wedges
1 large carrot, peeled and cut in pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut in quarters
1 bay leaf
2 allspice berries
8-10 black peppercorns
1 clove of garlic, cut in half
5 tea-cups of water
½ tsp of fresh (or dried) tarragon
2 lemons, cut in medium slices
salt

For the rice pilaf:
2 tea-cups of long grain rice, well rinsed
3 Spring onions, finely chopped (I didn't put any)
2 tbsp of butter
4 tea-cups of chicken stock (from the boiling of the chicken)
salt
pepper

Method:
Clean and rinse the chicken well and pat dry with kitchen paper.

In a large pot (according to the size of the chicken) put the chicken with enough water to cover. Add the chopped vegetables, the lemon slices, the bay leaf, the allspice, the tarragon, the peppercorns, a pinch of salt and the garlic.

Boil in medium heat for about 30 minutes until the chicken is softened but not completely cooked (not falling off the bone). Take out of the stock with a slotted spoon and transfer on a platter. Leave aside but keep the chicken warm.

Drain the chicken stock and keep aside 4 tea-cups for the pilaf.

In a medium pot melt the butter on medium heat and sauté the Spring onions until soft stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the rice and stir well until it is well coated with the butter and translucent. Pour over with the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, stir once and simmer the rice with the pot semi-covered for about 15-18 minutes until the liquids are evaporated and the rice is cooked but not mushy.

Take off the heat, cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel and on top place the lid. Leave aside and let the towel to absorb most of the cooking steam so to leave the rice nice and fluffy.

In a spacious but not too deep pot melt the 3/4 tea-cup of butter in medium heat and carefully sauté the chicken, turning it round frequently, until it gets nicely coloured.

When it is done on all sides and cooked through transfer into a spacious pyrex dish. Garnish with the rice pilaf, sprinkle all over with plenty of black pepper and serve immediately.