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My Mama gave me this chicken plov (rice pilaf) recipe over the phone. I changed it up just a little with a touch of Cayenne pepper. Traditional plov is made with lamb pork or beef. This is our own speedy version.
Rice Cooker: Where have you been all these years? My hubby bought me a rice cooker for Mothers Day and I’ve already made this chicken plov several times. (p.s. It’s a great buy at Costco ~$30) It was so easy and fast. I don’t have to stand over it; I just put my prepped ingredients in the rice cooker and press the button. Voila!!
Ingredients for Chicken Plov:
1 large chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch x 1-inch pieces
2 cups white rice, rinsed well and drained
1 large carrot, grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth*
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
*Use as much water/broth as your rice maker requires. note: If cooking on stove top, add 2 cups water for every 1 cup rice.
How to make Plov (Rice Pilaf):
1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken pieces, than saute until golden and cooked through.
2. Next, add 1 diced onion to the skillet with chicken and saute about 3 minutes.
3. Add grated carrots to the skillet and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Add 2 Tbsp of butter and 1/4 cup ketchup and mix everything together.
5. Once the butter melts, add 2 cups of rinsed rice to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of black pepper, 1/8 tsp of Cayenne pepper and mix everything together.
6. Transfer mixture to the rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of water and season more to taste if desired. Set the rice cooker to “White rice”.
– OR – If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can put everything into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed
Notes: If you don’t rinse your rice, you will require more water. Left over plov is always a good thing; just saute it up. I think its even better reheated in a frying pan. It gives it a certain crunch.
Ukrainian Chicken Plov (Rice Pilaf)

Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch x 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups white rice, rinsed well and drained
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 1/2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken pieces, saute them until golden and cooked through.
- Next, add 1 diced onion to the skillet with chicken and saute about 3 minutes.
- Add grated carrots to the skillet and saute 2 more minutes.
- Add 2 Tbsp of butter and 1/4 cup ketchup and mix everything together.
- Once the butter melts, add 2 cups of rinsed rice to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of black pepper, 1/8 tsp of Cayenne pepper and mix everything together.
- Transfer mixture to the rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of water and season more to taste if desired. Set the rice cooker to "White rice". - OR - If you don't have a rice cooker, you can put everything into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.