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Meat, South and mountains

Pastis chicken with rice

Pastis chicken with rice is a braised dish of chicken thighs, fennel, tomatoes and saffron, flavored with pastis, serving 4. It takes 1 hour, rated easy, for about €3.30 per person. The key is letting the pastis burn off properly and stirring in the cream off the heat.

Pastis chicken is the sun of Provence in a pot, with fennel, saffron and rice.

Pastis chicken with rice
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This dish smells of anise and fennel as soon as the pot heats up. Flambeing the pastis leaves a round, mellow aroma without any harsh alcohol bite, and the saffron turns the sauce a deep golden yellow. Fresh cream softens everything at the end, giving a sauce that coats the rice beautifully.

It's a spring or summer dish, good for a weeknight or a more relaxed Sunday. Kids generally like the mild, creamy side of the sauce, even with the pastis, since the alcohol cooks off. It also works well for guests, since the pot simmers away while you get everything else ready.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fennel bulbs 2
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Pastisoften in the pantry 4 cl
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Saffronoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 4 tbsp

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in a Dutch oven with the olive oil, then set them aside. 10 min

    Season with salt after browning.

  2. Slice the fennel and onions thinly, sweat them in the pot with the garlic. 8 min

    Save the fennel fronds to garnish at the end.

  3. Pour in the pastis, let it cook off, add the tomatoes and saffron, return the chicken to the pot, cover and let it simmer. 30 min

    Steep the saffron in a little hot water before adding it.

  4. Cook the rice in salted water while the chicken finishes simmering. 11 min

    Rinse the rice before cooking so the grains stay separate.

  5. Off the heat, stir the cream into the sauce and serve the chicken with the rice.

    Off the heat, the cream won't split, don't let it boil again.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs with the skin on, it adds flavor to the sauce while browning.
  • Let the pastis really cook off for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, otherwise the sauce keeps too strong an alcohol taste.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the cream, it's easier to adjust the salt at this stage than afterward.

The variations

  • Swap the fennel for sliced red bell peppers for a milder, less anise forward version.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with roasted zucchini and eggplant chunks added at the end of cooking.
  • To save time, use boneless chicken thighs, they cook in 20 minutes instead of 30.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of chilled rosé
  • A simple green salad
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Pastis chicken keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace the pastis with something else?

Yes, you can use white wine with a pinch of fennel seeds to get a similar anise note. The result will be a bit less fragrant but still good.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the chicken and sauce the day before, without the cream. Reheat gently the next day and stir in the cream only at the end, off the heat.

Is saffron essential?

It adds color and a distinctive aroma, but you can skip it if you don't have any. The dish still works, just slightly less golden.

Can kids eat this dish with the pastis in it?

Yes, the alcohol cooks off during simmering and only the mild anise flavor remains, especially once mixed with the cream. Just adjust the pepper if your kids prefer it milder.

How long does it take to make a pastis chicken with rice?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pastis chicken with rice?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pastis chicken with rice cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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