Roast chicken with tomato and cumin butter-baked rice

Name: Roast chicken with tomato and cumin butter-baked rice
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 100g butter; 50ml olive oil; 1 onion, finely diced; 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 400g (2 cups) basmati rice; 2½ tsp cumin seeds; salt and pepper, to taste; 400g can diced tomatoes, or 6 ripe tomatoes, diced; 800ml chicken stock (or 1 stock cube and hot water); ½ lemon, rind removed in strips, juiced; 1 store-bought roast chicken, cut into 4 pieces; 2 dried chillies, crushed

A supermarket roast chicken is the secret to getting this aromatic dish on the table in less than an hour.

Karen Martini

October 20, 2025

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

This recipe is based on a favourite baked chicken rice from my 2022 cookbook, Cook. It’s almost as good when you take the supermarket chook shortcut. The lead flavours are tomato, cumin and chilli. The delicately perfumed rice is buttery and stained red from the tomato, with a crunchy crust. Dolloped with tart yoghurt, it makes a perfect midweek meal and is wonderful as part of a more involved spread involving braised winter greens.

Ingredients

100g butter
50ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g (2 cups) basmati rice
2½ tsp cumin seeds
salt and pepper, to taste
400g can diced tomatoes, or 6 ripe tomatoes, diced
800ml chicken stock (or 1 stock cube and hot water)
½ lemon, rind removed in strips, juiced
1 store-bought roast chicken, cut into 4 pieces
2 dried chillies, crushed

TO SERVE

200g plain yoghurt, optional
5 dill or coriander sprigs, picked, optional

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200C fan-forced (220C conventional). In a large pan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook until they start to brown, about 8 minutes.
Step 2
Add the rice and cumin seeds, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes to toast the rice. Add the tomato and stock, and stir to coat the rice. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
Step 3
Tip the rice into an enamel baking tray, peel zest from the lemon in strips and place the strips over the rice. Place the cooked chicken pieces on top and crumble on the chilli. Cover with baking paper, then foil.
Step 4
Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 5 minutes, until golden.
Step 5
Once cooked, place the dish over a high heat on the stovetop for about 3 minutes to crust the rice base. Squeeze over the lemon juice. Dollop on the yoghurt, if using, and scatter with herbs.