#BrownBagIt with Devin Marhue

October 2018

As part of our #brownbagit campaign, Action Against Hunger is sharing simple packed lunch recipes from Canadian chefs from coast-to-coast-to-coast. This fall, join your fellow Canadians: pack a nutritious lunch and donate the money you save so every kid can eat a healthy lunch. Read on for this week’s tasty recipe from Chef Devin Marhue:

Devin Marhue

Culinary Venue: The Urban Element
Located: Ottawa
Follow Devin Marhue & The Urban Element: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

Chef Devin Marhue is excited to be a part of this year’s #brownbagit, and you should be too! Chef Devin believes food and nutrition play an important role in the physical and cultural development of our youth, and children all around the world have the right to good, healthy and delicious food. We couldn’t agree more! When you make this recipe, and donate what you would have spent on ordering in lunch, you’ll be helping us provide better access to nutritious food for youth right here in Canada.

Donate & #brownbagit

Braised Chicken Thighs with Cumin Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

4 Servings

Braised Chicken

4 chicken thighs, skin-on & bone-in
1 tsp red pepper flakes
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp toasted fennel seeds, whole
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
3 Meyer lemons, cut into wedges
1 cup olives, with pits, mixture of green & black
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Cumin Rice Pilaf

1 cup long grain rice, washed & drained
1/2 lemon zested
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dill, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted whole
1/4 cup cooked spinach, chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
1 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Fried shallots
Parsley leaves
Green onion

Method

Step 1 – Braising the Chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and place in a stainless steel bowl. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add the red pepper, garlic, fennel, honey, oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Rub seasoning into the legs on all sides. Place the thighs in a baking pan and tuck lemon wedges evenly around the chicken. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 400F.
Put baking dish in oven, uncovered and roast until skin browns lightly, about 10-15 minutes. Scatter olives evenly over chicken and add broth. Cover tightly and bake for 15-20 minutes, until meat is very tender when probed with a skewer.
Remove thighs, lemon wedges, olives, and reserve. Keep warm. Strain the pain juices into a saucepan and quickly skim fat from surface. Over high heat, simmer rapidly until reduced by half. Spoon juices over chicken, sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice.

Step 2 – Preparing the Rice

Combine the rice, lemon zest, salt in a baking dish.
In a large pot, combine the stock, olive oil, bay leaves, cumin seeds and lemon juice. Bring to boil.
Pour hot liquid over the rice and mix well to combine. Cover with a lid place in a 360F oven.
Cook until the rice is cooked, and all the stock is absorbed.
Mix in dill and spinach right before serving. Garnish with fried shallots, lemon, parsley leaves, or green onion… or all three!

Make just one, or both of these delicious dishes – and be sure to take a photos of your lunch and share it on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #brownbagit.