Cheap Chicken Leg and Rice Bake

Why This One Works

Chicken legs are the cheapest cut in the case that still feels like a roast dinner, and baking them on top of the rice is the trick that makes this one taste richer than it costs. The rice cooks in the drippings and the vegetable juices instead of plain water, so every grain carries flavour. The vegetables go in straight from the freezer, and the only chopping in the whole dish is one onion. One dish goes into the oven and a full dinner for six comes out, with the pan doing all the work in between.

Ingredients

• Chicken drumsticks, 1.2 kgabout $9.00
• Long grain rice, 400 gabout $1.95
• Frozen mixed vegetables, 450 gabout $2.60
• Onion, 200 gabout $0.67
• Canola oil, garlic, spices and saltabout $0.40

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190 C (375 F). Pat the drumsticks dry, then rub them all over with salt, pepper, the paprika and the thyme.
2. Heat the oil in a large oven safe pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the drumsticks for about 4 minutes a side, until the skin is well browned. Lift them out onto a plate.
3. Spoon off all but about a tablespoon of the drippings. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and the rice and cook for 1 minute more, coating every grain in the drippings.
4. Pour in about 800 ml of water and stir in the frozen vegetables. Settle everything into an even layer.
5. Nestle the drumsticks back on top, skin side up. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
6. Rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the rice finishes steaming. Serve straight from the pan.