1 ½ pounds chicken (Whole chicken or mix thighs & breasts)
1 small onion roughly chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon 7 spice
6 cups water
For the Nuts Topping
2 tablespoons avocado oil
½ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoon pine nuts
For the Rice and Beef
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 onion chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons 7 Spice
1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups long grain rice rinsed
Fresh parsley for serving
Preparation
Cook the Chicken & Make the Stock
Sauté onions with oil until golden
Place the chicken thighs and sauté with the onions
Add water and place cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, salt and pepper in a large stockpot on high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken and use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Strain the chicken stock and discard the aromatics. Reserve 3 cups of the stock to use to cook the rice and store the remaining stock for another use.
Cook the Nuts Topping
Place the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the almonds and pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until they’re golden-brown and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the Rice and Beef and Serve
In the same pot used to cook the nuts, add a little oil then add the onion and ground beef and season with the 7 Spice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onions are soft and the ground beef is browned, 8-10 minutes.
Add the rice, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Pour the reserved chicken broth on top. Mix all the ingredients together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 more minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
Transfer the rice and beef mixture to a large serving platter, add the shredded chicken on top and scatter the cooked nuts over the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
