Ukrainian Chicken Plov

Plov was a staple in my home as a child. I remember my grandmother whipping up a large batch for family gatherings and the comforting feeling of rice with chicken and vegetables is truly incomparable.

Plov or a Pilaf as it is referred to in America is a endemic to the middle east and the caucus region. There are many variations of this classic meal and the one I’m sharing today is a standard Ukrainian staple.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 1.5lb chicken breast, diced into chunks

• 3 carrots, cut into small ppieces

• 1/2 small butternut squash, halved, seeds removed, skin peeled and diced into small pieces

• salt, to taste

• 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• Dash of mace

• 2 large garlic cloves

• Enough water or broth to cover the rice

Preparations:

• Start by preparing your materials. Dice your vegetables into small bite sized chunks and set them aside. Then, dice your chicken into pieces as well.

• Add oil to a large deep skillet or pot and drop in the finely diced onions. Let them cook until browned. Then, add in the carrots and butternut squash and cook for another 5-8 minutes

• Once the vegetables have begun to cook down a tad, push them aside and add the chicken in. Let it start to cook for a few minutes.

• Wash the rice thoroughly under running water. Then, add it into the pot along with enough water or broth to cover everything. This should be roughly three or so cups.

• Add salt, mace, turmeric, and cinnamon, stir to incorporate all of them together and then cover the pot with a lid.

• Bring this to a boil. Then reduce the heat and it cook down for about 20-30 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated and the rice is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

• Plate and serve or store in the fridge for up to a five days.