Apple Cider Vinegar and White Wine Marinated Chicken with Prawn-Chorizo Rice Pilaf

This recipe from Chef Chris Locher of C’Italian in Angeles City, Pampanga, is a play on sour, sweet, spicy, and salty. Ordinary ingredients, when combined, result in a dish that is greater than the sum of its parts. The sour notes from the apple cider vinegar marinade, the sweetness of the pumpkin, the spiciness of the chorizo, and the saltiness of the pine nuts all come together to bring the humble roasted chicken to gourmet heights. For more flavor-adventurous recipes, see “Flair for flavor” in the August 2010 issue of Yummy.

Serves 2 to 3  Prep Time 25 minutes, plus 6 hours marinating time  Cooking Time 1 hour

For the chicken marinade
3 cups white wine
1 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 to 3 pieces fresh red chillies
3 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced

2 (700-gram) spring chickens, backbone removed for easier marinating and roasting
salt, black pepper, paprika, and extra virgin olive oil to season

For the rice pilaf
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoon finely chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 to 8 pieces medium-size prawns, peeled and deveined
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup Vialone or Arborio rice (or good quality Japanese rice)
2 cups good quality chicken stock
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1  Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Marinate the chickens for 6 hours in a covered container inside the refrigerator.

2  Preheat the oven to 220°C. Remove the chicken from the marinating liquid. Pat dry, season with salt, black pepper, a little paprika, and extra virgin olive oil.

3  Roast chicken in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Be careful not to burn the chicken as the sugar you added to the marinade will start to caramelize and brown the chicken.

4  Make the rice pilaf: Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the rice when cooked. Add the chorizo; sauté until brown. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until golden. Add pumpkin and continue to sauté until brown. Add the prawns, season with salt and pepper.

5  Add the rice and stir for a few minutes. Pour in hot chicken stock, stir, and cover and bake in a 220°C oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

6  Remove from the oven, add the toasted pine nuts and fresh cilantro. Serve with chicken in individual bowls.

Photography by David Hanson | Recipe by Chris Locher of C’Italian | Styling by Liezl Yap

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