Here's an easy baked chicken and rice recipe. Quick and tasty, this one pan combination is a perfect meal to make after a long day at work. Just add a salad.
(BOSANSKI)
If we're to be honest I'm a fan of neither chicken nor rice. Chicken, because I'd rather eat beef. Rice, because it was a daily occurrence during the siege. But if done well in combination, baked chicken and rice easily measure up. (I do like chicken pies though. Chicken bump pie, and chicken layered pie for example.)
When you bring one culture's cuisine to its most basic level, which would be the most commonly used ingredients, it turns out they're not that different. Globally, most recipes have some combination of rice, meat, and/ or flour because all are easily available. Preparation is what sets them apart. But before we jump into this particular baked chicken and rice that my sister does so well (thanks for the recipe!), I'd like to explore something most cultures also have in common: superstitions. You know, those things you don't do to make who knows what not happen, or the things you do to make who knows what happen.
Do you have any? Do you go another way when a black cat crosses your path? Do you avoid walking under ladders? Do you bundle up with a book every Friday the 13th to avoid going outside and risk something bad happening?
Myself, I don't know how I feel about them. But throughout the years (perhaps it's the life asserting its control or maybe it's the surroundings I find myself in), I've become increasingly superstitious. Nothing extreme. For example, I find most of the ones below funny, more than anything else. But there are some things I do now I know 20 year old Aida would laugh at. Such as moving from the space I'm in a little bit when I hear bad news (the ubiquitous pomjeri se s mjesta or move from your space as to not be in the same position as the misfortune you are talking about).
Like baked chicken and rice, some superstitions are universal. In addition to the evil draft everyone freaks out about, here are some interesting, useful, funny, and some downright scary superstitions from the Balkans.
New Moon and Money. At night during new moon take out some currency (it has to be yours and not borrowed). With the hand that’s holding the money, make three circles around the top of your head and chin each. This act is believed to bring unexpected money into your life.
Tuesday, Tuesday. Tuesdays are thought to be unfortunate for cutting nails or hair, washing clothes, etc. So do yourself a favor, and say no housework or beauty routines on Tuesdays. Also, don't remove spiderwebs before noon on any day of the week, bad luck to do so.
No returns. Let's say you left your house and realized you forgot something. It is considered bad luck to go back to your home to get it right after leaving. (I've broken this superstition a million times, and trust me, nothing bad will happen to you if you go back to get the car keys. Or the passport. Something a family friend was terrified to do, and missed her flight.)
Don't refill that drink. Yet. It is thought unlucky for the unmarried to refill their drinks while the glass is still half full. Wait until it's completely empty and then refill. While you're at it, if you're unmarried, when eating dinner in big company don't sit at the table's corner.
After a funeral, stay out. It is thought unlucky to go home straight after a funeral. Generally people will go grab a drink or coffee, and then return home. This is so you don't bring bad vibes from the cemetery home.
Take the trash out, please! Keeping trash around the house invites the sheytan aka the devil in. Apparently, so does the act of whistling inside.
More on avoiding the sheytan. Don't sleep under the walnut tree. Avoid ditches at night, and also places where wood is cut. Don't step on eggshells. At night, don't pick your cat up with your right hand, only with your left. And if you ever see a cat on a street at night, never shoo it away because it very well could be the sheytan transformed into a cat (The Master and Margarita anyone?).
Pick up your purse. Don't leave a purse, or your wallet on the floor to avoid being poor.
Inside out. It's thought to be good luck to wear an item of clothing inside out (such as a sock, tank top, even undies). Especially if starting something new, or important (something like the first day of school, or before an important sports game).
Leave ants alone! Don't step on ants outside, it will rain. Stepping on them inside will shoo away good luck from the home.
Itching. Palms itching seem to have different definitions. Most common is if your right palm itches you'll have unexpected expenses, while if your left palm itches you'll gain unexpected money. Some say both palms itching brings money. Nose itching, however, indicates you'll get angry or in a fight with a person you're in the company of at the moment.
Spilled coffee. If your coffee spills, dip a finger in it and lick it. This indicates a gift or money is coming your way. Not sure if it's placebo, OCD, or indeed the superstition, but this one really seems to work for me.
And at the end, a houseleek. If you see this plant (common houseleek) in someone's home, steal it. If you succeed you brought yourself, and the person you stole it from, good fortune.
I hope you're now not too scared to eat the baked chicken and rice, recipe below.
Baked Chicken And Rice Recipe (Pečena Piletina Sa Rižom)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Course
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs (or thighs)
- 4 tablespoons oil
- (Optional) 1-2 tablespoons Vegeta or 1 crushed chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1.5 cups rice (white, round grain)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 480°F.
- Wash chicken. Make a marinade by mixing 3 tablespoon oil, salt (or Vegeta or bouillon), and pepper. Cover chicken in marinade thoroughly and leave for a few minutes to absorb. Cover baking pan with the remaining oil, add chicken and place pan in the oven. Bake 15 minutes.
- Take the pan out, flip the chicken around and return pan to the oven. Lower heat to 360°F and bake another 15 minutes.
- Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. Carefully scrub the chicken parts remaining in the pan after the baking. Add rice and 4.5 cups of water. Spread all in the pan evenly. Bring heat up to 480°F again, and bake rice in the oven for 25 minutes.
- At, or near the end (when there is a quarter of an inch of water left in the pan above rice) turn off the heat and add chicken into the pan. Leave in the oven for a few minutes to absorb, then serve.
Notes
A good ratio of rice to water is 1:3 (one cup of rice to three cups of water). For this recipe we used 1.5 cups of rice to 4.5 cups of water.
If your oven doesn't go to 490°F or you feel uncomfortable baking at high temperatures, lower it to 450°F or 425°F, bake longer, and check more frequently for done-ness.
Suzanne Memic says
Turned out PERFECT! - I have been trying to make this dish for some time - remembered your website and your moussaka recipe - so I gave it a shot. I also made your roasted red pepper/garlic salad - both were wonderful. Family super happy! Thanks again Aida!
Aida says
Suzanne,
Thank you for leaving the comment. It makes my day to hear that someone tried a recipe from the site and that you enjoyed eating it. My regards to your family. Bon appetit!
Yum Girl says
This looks like the recipe my grandmother always made - I loved it but did not get the recipe prior to her passing. I can't wait to make it - also, I have a few more things to be superstitious of now !
Aida says
Glad if the recipe is like the one your grandma made, and if it can bring some good memories back. Yes, the superstitions never go away, it seems we just keep finding out more of them. 🙂
Sabina says
Aida,
I found your site and am thrilled to try out recipes wuth actual measurements and details...not "malo ulja" and "peces dok ne bude gotovo." I notice several of your recipes mention "seasoned salt." Are you referring to Vegeta?
Your zemljakinja,
Aida says
Hello Zemljakinjo!
Glad to have you. Yes, the "odokativno" method was one of the reasons I started the blog. 🙂
You're right it's Vegeta, however I always have a hard time finding it when I'm in DC/US. (Also, it's not the healthiest thing in the world but now they sell healthier-ish versions of it.) Seasoned salt is close enough. Alternatively, you can get away with just salt and pepper and/ or your other preferred seasonings. They're the one thing we can get away with in our cuisine.
Happy cooking!
Sabina says
Hvala draga! You rock 🙂 "Odokativno" haha!
Yes I'm avoiding it because of MSG but I am willing to use it if it helps the taste be more authentic.
Thanks for tips!
Sabina says
Made it. Turned out yummy!! Im planning to try out more of your recipes...kiflice, oblatne, slagani burek od phyllo, and maybe even pita with actual jufke (gasp!)
Aida says
Comments like yours make my day! Glad it turned out well and that you'll continue making more food. Feel free to skip Vegeta. Our great-grandmothers didn't use it, and the food was great then too.
Not sure how you found the blog, but if it wasn't through FB we just started making videos and posting them there. https://www.facebook.com/balkanlunchbox/
KB says
My neighbors loved this easy recipe tonight and have shared the link with them. I've made it 6-7 times already this year. But huge warning: it broke my oven!!! I got a new oven yesterday...the glass broke b/c of 490. I changed mine to 425 instead of 490. 🙂
Aida says
Oh boy! I will make a note of that. I've done it many times in my oven, and I roast veggies at 500°F sometimes, but now I'll lower it down myself. Thanks for letting me know.
KB says
I took a cooking class yesterday at Sur La Table and the chef said that my oven was just bad/ old. She says she broils all the time at 550 and glass doesn't break. The drop-in oven was original to the house and the Sears salesman said that older ovens can break easily at higher temperatures. My new oven is great though! 😛
★★★★★
Aida says
Glad to hear your new oven is fantastic! And you seem like a fantastic cook so it's a great match! 🙂
Snjezana says
I made the chicken tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Aida says
Anytime Snjezana,so glad you liked it!
<3
Rusmira says
Absolutely love this dish! Made it for dinner and received many compliments on it!
Aida says
Glad your family liked it Rusmira! It looks unimpressive, but the taste is good.
Khadijah says
I've been making this recipe for the last year or so and it is my favourite rice and chicken dish! So easy to make with such good flavor. Recipes from yours and baking with sibellas blog have made my bosnian husband very happy. Hvala!
★★★★★
Aida says
Hi Khadijah,
Glad BLB could aid in keeping a marriage strong 🙂
All kidding aside, I'm happy you find it useful, and more importantly, that you like the food too.
Cheers!