Chicken and Saffron Rice With Pomegranate Salsa
Directions
- 1Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry, then add them to a bowl and toss with the ground cinnamon, half the crushed cardamom, 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper.
- 3In a large, ovenproof high-sided pan for which you have a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- 4Add half the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until nicely colored.
- 5Turn the pieces over and cook on the other side for 2 minutes more.
- 6Transfer the cooked chicken to a tray or plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- 7Finely crush the saffron in a mortar and pestle, then add it to a large jug and pour in 2½ cups of hot water.
- 8Set the saffron water aside.
- 9Carefully pour all but ¼ cup of the chicken fat from the pan into a small heat-proof bowl (if less than ¼ cup remains, add enough olive oil to reach ¼ cup).
- 10Return the slightly cooled pan to medium-high heat and stir in the onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and a tiny pinch of salt.
- 11Cook the onion mixture for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned.
- 12Stir in the garlic and remaining crushed cardamom and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- 13Stir in the rice and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for a minute more, stirring continuously.
- 14Pour in the saffron water and give everything a stir.
- 15Top with the chicken thighs, skin-side up, ensuring not to push them into the rice.
- 16Cover the pan with the lid and transfer it to the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
- 17Remove the pan from the oven and turn the temperature up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 18Remove the lid and drizzle the top of the thighs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- 19Return the pan to the oven, lid off, for 10 minutes more, until the chicken is nice and crisp and the edges of the pan are browned.
- 20Let the dish settle for 5 to 10 minutes.
- 21While the chicken rests, make the pomegranate topping by combining the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, parsley, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- 22Taste and season the pomegranate topping with salt and pepper.
- 23When ready to serve, spoon the pomegranate topping all over the dish and serve directly from the pan.
Ingredients
- 8 small small or large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 16 cardamom pods, husks removed and seeds finely crushed in a pestle and mortar, divided
- Fine sea salt
- black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 0.75 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1.5 cups basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, soaked for 20 minutes then drained well
- 0.33 cup pomegranate seeds
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped shelled pistachios
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill fronds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fine sea salt
- black pepper
Equipment
large, ovenproof high-sided pan with a lidbowlmortar and pestlelarge jugsmall heat-proof bowltray or plate
Tips
- Wash and soak the rice for at least 20 minutes (up to 2 hours) to remove starch.
- Saffron can be swapped for about ½ teaspoon of turmeric, but the flavor will be different.
- Serve with a simple chopped salad and yogurt.
- The recipe aims for tahdig (crispy rice) around the bottom and edges of the pan.
- Allow the dish to settle for 5 to 10 minutes after cooking.
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