Sunday Kitchen: Yael Shochat of Ima's one-dish chicken and rice

Yael Shochat, owner of Ima Cuisine. Photo / Dean Purcell

Yael Shochat is the owner of the iconic Ima Cuisine on Auckland's Fort St. Here she shares her easy one-dish chicken and rice, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?

Sunday is a family day for us because the restaurant is closed, so our daughters and their partners come for dinner. Sometimes it's a meal that I put lots of effort into, and as my husband often says "do you really have to use every dish in the kitchen?!" Whatever I make, there is always veges and a salad. Sometimes I've had a really hard week and I'll put something easy together like this meal here.

Why have you chosen to share this dish?

This dish is a quick tasty family meal that leaves you with very little washing up. There is loads of flavours and in summer you can load it with capsicum and slices of eggplant that you pre-cook in the oven with olive oil for even more awesomeness.

Simply slice 1 large eggplant drizzle with olive oil and place under the grill to precook, then chop and add to the tomato layer together with 1 chopped red capsicum.

Chicken and rice. Photo / Alex Burton

One-dish chicken and rice

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 big onion sliced
5 medium ripe tomatoes
6-8 pieces of boneless skinless free-range chicken thighs
2 cups basmati rice
Handful chopped spring onion, parsley and coriander, to garnish
The sauce
1.5 tsp flaky salt
¼-½ tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, black pepper
1 tsp sumac
1 tube of good tomato paste
6 cloves of garlic chopped
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp date syrup
4 cups of boiling water

1. For the sauce: Mix all ingredients together.

2. For the chicken: Preheat oven to 200C. In an oven dish, drizzle olive oil. Cover bottom of dish with onion slices, then thick slices of tomatoes. Place chicken on to onion and tomatoes, sprinkle the rice evenly over the whole dish, then gently pour the hot sauce over the dish.

2. Cover with baking paper and then seal very tightly with foil. Place in oven for 1 hour. When ready to eat, garnish with chopped spring onion, flat-leaf parsley and coriander.

Serve with a salad of chopped tomatoes, cucumber and red onion - add chopped kalamata olives and feta, if desired.

Chicken and Rice dish at Ima Restaurant. Photo by Alex Burton