Turmeric Chicken Breast Strips on Mujadara

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Caramelized Onion

1. 1
   Heat the oil in a wide pot and fry the onion over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring, until it is brown and sweet.

   StoveWide, shallow pot

   💡Onion caramelizes with patience: over medium heat it reaches deep brown in about half an hour, over low heat it takes close to an hour, and over high heat it burns at the edges before it softens. A pinch of salt at the start draws out its liquid, and when it starts to stick, add a tablespoon of water and scrape the bottom.
2. 2
   Remove a third of the onion to a bowl, for garnish, and leave the rest in a pot.

   Bowl

To assemble

1. 3
   Rinse the lentils and cook them in the water 20 minutes, until they are tender but hold their shape. Drain.

   StovePotColander

   💡The lentils are only half-cooked first: they keep cooking with the grain, and if fully cooked at the start, they fall apart into mush.
2. 4
   Add the rice and the cumin and stir 2 minutes, until the grains are coated in oil.

   Stove
3. 5
   Add the lentils, the water, season with salt and bring to a boil.

   Stove
4. 6
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave covered another 10 minutes.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡The covered rest at the end finishes steaming the grain and separates the grains. Fluff with a fork before serving.

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
5. 7
   In a bowl, mix the olive oil, paprika, turmeric, lemon juice, salt and black pepper and coat the chicken in the mixture.

   Bowl
6. 8
   Marinate at least 15 minutes.
7. 9
   Heat the oil in a wide pan over high heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
8. 10
   Lay the chicken in a single layer and sear 3 minutes without touching, then stir and continue 2 more minutes, until it is completely white inside.

   Stove
9. 11
   Fluff the mujadara with a fork, divide among bowls and set the chicken strips alongside. Scatter the reserved fried onion on top.

   Fork