Bukharan Chicken and Rice Plov With Vegetables

By
Giora Shimoni
Giora Shimoni
A kosher food enthusiast and home cook with hundreds of published recipes, Giora Shimoni has worked in online publishing for over 20 years.
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Updated on 02/9/21
Bukharan Chicken and Rice Plov With Vegetables

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
614 Calories
20g Fat
64g Carbs
43g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 614
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 119mg 40%
Sodium 616mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Protein 43g
Calcium 83mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Plov is a signature dish of the Bukharan Jews of Central Asia. (They are referred to as Bukharian Jews in Israel). Often slow cooked in a wood-burning oven, it is served to guests as a symbol of hospitality for holidays and at special life events, including weddings. 

Though the recipe below does not include it, plov is traditionally spiced with cumin, and often served with roasted garlic. If you'd like to enhance the flavor of the basic recipe, season the sautéed vegetables and chicken with 1 to 3 teaspoons of cumin and a touch of cinnamon before adding the rice. If desired, a head or two of garlic can be roasted while the plov cooks, then serve on the side. 

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons oil (enough to cover bottom of pot)
  • 3 onions (peeled, trimmed and chopped)
  • 6 carrots (peeled and grated thick)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 to 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast (cut into small bite-size squares)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups medium grain rice (such as Basmati)
  • 3 1/2 cups boiling water (enough to cover the rice by 1/2 inch or 1 cm)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Bukharan Chicken and Rice Plov With Vegetables ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and then the carrots. Stir in the sugar. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

    Add the onions, and then the carrots to a Dutch oven

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Lay the chicken on top of the onions and carrots. Don't stir to maintain a layer of vegetables and a distinct layer of meat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and pepper on the chicken. Cook the chicken, gently turning the pieces over in the middle, until the chicken turns white.

    Lay the chicken on top of the onions and carrots

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add rice on top of the chicken. Don't stir because the layers of vegetables and chicken should remain undisturbed, but distribute the rice evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add boiling water. Turn the heat down to low and cover.

    Add rice on top of the chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. After about 15 minutes, scrape down the sides and poke 6 or 7  holes through the rice to the bottom of the pot with the handle of a wooden spoon. Cover and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.

    cooked rice on top of the chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Serve in reverse order of the layers. Put the rice, then the chicken, then the vegetables onto the plates, and enjoy the meal.

    Bukharan Chicken and Rice Plov With Vegetables in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

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