Description

This Persian chicken is a delicious dish with tender meat that just falls off of the bone, a red sauce that is full of flavor and basamti rice with saffron and barberries. This meal is definitely an experience for all of your senses.

Ingredients

• Chicken:
• 2-3 T. vegetable oil
• 6 pieces bone-in chicken, like drumsticks and thighs
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 t. turmeric
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. cardamom
• 1/4 t. cumin
• 1/4 t. coriander
• 1/8 t. chili powder
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 2 1/2 c. chicken stock (or water if using bone-in chicken)
• half of the saffron water (from below)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Saffron Water:
• 1/4 t. saffron, ground with a pestle and mortar*
• 1 ice cube
• Rice:
• 1 1/2 c. dry basamati rice
• half of the reserved saffron water
• 1/3 c. dried barberries* (available from Amazon)
• 1 t. butter
• 1/4 t. sugar

Steps

1. Chicken:
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Combine spices in a small dish:; sprinkle a little over the chicken.
3. Saute chicken and onion in oil until browned. Add garlic; cook for about 30 seconds. Add remaining spices, tomato paste, half of the saffron water (reserve the other half for the rice) and chicken stock or water. Simmer until chicken becomes very tender and sauce thickens and reduces. If chicken gets done before sauce is thick and reduced, remove the chicken from pot; continue simmering until sauce is done.