Persian Saffron Chicken Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Saffron and cardamom give this traybake its heady aroma, while the chicken turns crisp and the rice cooks up light and tender. It takes its cue from the Persian classic zereshk polo ba morgh — saffron‑roast chicken with rice and barberries. This version, though, embraces a more easygoing spirit, letting everything roast together in one pan for maximum flavour with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
- 1 pinch saffron
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 orange
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- 500ml hot chicken stock
- 1kg skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 250g basmati rice
- 3 cardamom pods, bashed open
- 1 handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 10g pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 handful coriander leaves
- 300g Greek yoghurt
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Put the saffron in a large bowl, add two tablespoons of just-boiled water, then stir and leave to infuse for a few minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato puree, olive oil, orange juice, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and a very generous pinch each of salt and pepper to the the saffron bowl, then mix to a paste.
Whisk half the saffron paste into the stock. Put the chicken thighs in the remaining paste in the bowl and toss to coat.
Tip the rice into a 30cm x 40cm roasting tin and pour the stock on top. Add the cardamom pods, then arrange the chicken on top. Cover the tray with foil, bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the rice nicely crisp on top.
Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, pistachios and coriander leaves, and serve immediately with yoghurt.
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