I made this dish today for a couple of reasons. My daughter and I are off to Seattle in a day and I needed to make a one pot, no fuss meal for everyone to enjoy. I also needed to use up some things in my fridge including green onions and cilantro. I really wanted to have a chicken and rice dish my Mom makes, but it is too labor intensive and I just didn’t have the time.  I started thinking what I could make… I then remembered a rice and pea dish my maternal Grandma made which my Mom and I cook all the time. It includes a green sauce made out of a little onion, lots of cilantro and some garlic. It is all blended together and then cooked with cumin seeds before the rice is added. I love eating the green rice! It brings back delicious childhood memories!
This dish is almost a combination of the two rice dishes. I bought thighs with bones to extract as much flavor as I could while the rice cooked. Although boneless meat is easier to handle, there are times when the flavor takes precedence over convenience! I started with browning the meat and then cooked the green sauce and cumin in the same oil. I added spinach to the green mixture. It is a clever way of incorporating a vegetable without anyone knowing. I also cooked the rice in chicken broth- another way of adding lots of flavor into the dish. Once the rice and chicken were cooked, I took the meat off the bone. It is easier to serve and I have to say, looked more appealing to the eye. I added raisins because I like them in my savory dishes! I love the contrast of sweet and savory in my mouth. The raisins are completely optional and will not take away anything from the dish…. so if you are not too keen on them, leave them out- although I would highly recommend it! Indians usually eat yogurt with most of their meals. I love a big bowl of Raita with this dish. It brings a nice cool brightness into your mouth.  Raita is a yogurt salad consisting of vegetables or fruits. It is served savory with salt, roasted cumin, mint, etc. You can go crazy with the different combinations but a simple combination is best.  I usually make my Raita with some tomatoes and cucumbers. In this case, I didn’t have a lot of fresh produce so I added salt, roasted cumin and some dried mint. It was delicious! My daughter loved the dish minus the raisins…
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