This Delicious Chicken has a Rich Persian Flavor

This Delicious Chicken has a Rich Persian Flavor

Fiery Chicken Thighs with Persian Rice

Have you ever wanted to try mixing chicken with Persian flavors? This chicken-and-rice dish will help you make a delicious, flavorful world of taste on any dinner table. 

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people
Author Janet Nichols

Ingredients

  • 5 cups water
  • 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 1/2 tbsp canola oil divided
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin divided
  • 1 tsp salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat Greek yoghurt plain 2%
  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp sambal oelek ground fresh chile paste
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Bring 5 cups water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; boil 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse rice; drain.

  2. Heat a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and turmeric; cook 1 minute. Combine rice, onion mixture, and yogurt in a bowl.

  3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add butter and 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl until butter melts. Add rice mixture to pan, lightly packing rice down. Reduce heat to medium-low. Wrap a clean, dry dish towel around the lid, tying it at the handle; place the prepared lid on the pan. Cook rice, covered, over medium-low heat 10 minutes (do not stir or uncover). Reduce temperature to low; cook an additional 20 minutes or until rice is tender on top and a golden crust forms on the bottom.

  4. Loosen the rice crust with a rubber spatula around the edges. Place a plate over the top of the pan, and invert the rice onto a plate, browned side up.

  5. While rice cooks, preheat broiler to high.

  6. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, sambal oelek, garlic, and coriander in a small bowl, stirring well. Scrape spice paste into a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Toss to coat. Let stand 20 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

  7. Place chicken, skin-side up, on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 8 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; broil an additional 4 minutes or until done. Serve with rice.

 

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