Lebanese Chicken and Rice (Riz a djej)

Chicken:
You can use an already cooked rotisserie chicken to make things easier. If you are preparing the chicken yourself, poach it with salt, pepper, a sprinkling of the seven spice, and some slices of lime if you have some.

For nut topping:
Warm the oil in a small skillet/frying pan over a medium head and add the nuts, one kind at a time. Once the nuts are brown but not burnt, remove from the skillet, draining excess oil, then transfer to kitchen paper to remove any more oil.

For rice:
Dice the onion into a relatively small dice.

Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or other relatively large pot over medium heat, then add the onion. Cook for a few minutes to soften the onion.

Once the onion is translucent but not browning, add the ground beef/lamb. Cook the meat, turning and breaking up the chunks regularly.

Once the meat has browned, add the Lebanese seven spice, salt and pepper and stir to mix through.

Add the rice and butter and mix both through the meat so the butter melts and the rice becomes coated.

Add the stock to the meat and rice mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers rather than boils and leave to cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add water if the liquid cooks away before the rice is done. Stir in a splash of lemon or lime from one or two of your wedges if if you are using them. Taste and adjust if needed.

Put the rice mixture on a serving platter. Put the shredded chicken all over the top, then sprinkle the nuts over if using. Put lime wedges around the platter, if using, so people can add a squeeze of lime over their rice.