1-Gathering and Prepping Your Ingredients: First, heat 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, just like in the classic recipe. Cut 1 ½ pound boneless chicken breast or thighs into bite-sized pieces and season with sea salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Cook the chicken for about 6 minutes until it’s done, then set it aside to keep things simple and flavorful.

2-Cooking the Aromatics and Rice: Next, dice ½ onion, mince 5 cloves garlic, and chop 1 cup matchstick carrots. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pot and add the carrots, onion, garlic, and 1 cup rice. Cook this mix for about 4 minutes until it’s softened and smells amazing, which helps bring out those deep flavors. For a fun variation, try linking to other rice-based dishes like our Mexican chicken and rice recipe for more ideas on making rice the star.

3-Bringing It All Together: Pour in 8 cups chicken broth or stock, give it a good stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, return the chicken to the pot, and add ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes along with the juice from ½ lemon. Cover and simmer for about 7 minutes to let everything meld. Finally, remove from heat and stir in 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach until it wilts, making for a fresh, vibrant finish.