# Chicken and Saffron Rice With Pomegranate Salsa

This is a striking one-pan meal featuring chicken and saffron rice, topped with a vibrant pomegranate salsa, and is designed to create crispy tahdig around the bottom and edges of the pan.

- Servings: 6 servings
- Total time: 95 min
- Cuisine: Indian
- Category: Sauce & Condiment
- Language: en

## 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

## Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pat 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.
3. In a large, ovenproof high-sided pan for which you have a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add half the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes until nicely colored.
5. Turn the pieces over and cook on the other side for 2 minutes more.
6. Transfer the cooked chicken to a tray or plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
7. Finely crush the saffron in a mortar and pestle, then add it to a large jug and pour in 2½ cups of hot water.
8. Set the saffron water aside.
9. Carefully 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).
10. Return the slightly cooled pan to medium-high heat and stir in the onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and a tiny pinch of salt.
11. Cook the onion mixture for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned.
12. Stir in the garlic and remaining crushed cardamom and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
13. Stir in the rice and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for a minute more, stirring continuously.
14. Pour in the saffron water and give everything a stir.
15. Top with the chicken thighs, skin-side up, ensuring not to push them into the rice.
16. Cover the pan with the lid and transfer it to the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
17. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the temperature up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
18. Remove the lid and drizzle the top of the thighs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
19. Return 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.
20. Let the dish settle for 5 to 10 minutes.
21. While the chicken rests, make the pomegranate topping by combining the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, parsley, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl.
22. Taste and season the pomegranate topping with salt and pepper.
23. When ready to serve, spoon the pomegranate topping all over the dish and serve directly from the pan.

## Equipment

- large, ovenproof high-sided pan with a lid
- bowl
- mortar and pestle
- large jug
- small heat-proof bowl
- tray 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.

## Source

- Original video: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/773423838-chicken-and-saffron-rice-with-pomegranate-salsa
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/92f9aa24-9f31-4ec9-b9d5-58aa2bf131ed
- Extracted: 2026-05-10

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt