This Persian Chicken and Rice is a fragrant, comforting one-pan dinner featuring tender, spice-rubbed chicken nestled into golden saffron rice with caramelized onions and tart barberries. Just 30 minutes of hands-on time! Video included.
I’m a huge fan of chicken-and-rice dinners, and this Persian-inspired Chicken and Rice is one of those meals that fills the whole house with an incredible aroma. Tender, golden chicken is coated in a fragrant blend of warming spices, then nestled into saffron-infused basmati rice with caramelized onions and tart barberries.
Everything cooks together in one pan, allowing the savory chicken drippings to flavor the rice as it bakes. The result is beautifully fragrant rice and juicy chicken with golden, crispy skin. I can’t tell you how many people have asked for this recipe, and with just 30 minutes of hands-on time, it’s a comforting dinner that feels a little special without being overly complicated. I’m so excited for you to try this!
Love this recipe! I've made it several times and have shared it with many friends who are equally impressed. Thank you Sylvia.
Why you’ll love this Persian Chicken recipe!
Incredible flavor. A fragrant blend of warming spices, golden saffron rice, caramelized onions, and tart barberries makes every bite delicious.
An easy one-pan dinner. Everything cooks together in a Dutch oven, allowing the savory chicken drippings to flavor the rice. Less cleanup, more flavor!
Just 30 minutes of hands-on time. A little searing and sautéing is all it takes before the oven does the rest. Perfect for weeknights or a cozy weekend dinner.
Persian Chicken Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken – Use a combination of chicken thighs and breasts for juicy, tender meat and golden, crispy skin. The drippings infuse the rice with wonderful flavor.
- Basmati rice – Fragrant, long-grain rice that cooks up light and fluffy, absorbing the savory chicken drippings and aromatic spices.
- Red onion РAdds sweetness and depth when saut̩ed, becoming beautifully tender as it bakes with the chicken and rice.
- Garlic – Adds a savory, aromatic foundation that complements the warming spices.
- Persian-inspired spice blend – A fragrant combination of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves gives the chicken its warm, complex flavor.
- Saffron – Infuses the rice with a beautiful golden color and delicate floral aroma. Substitute ¼ teaspoon turmeric if needed, though the flavor will be different.
- Dried barberries – These little ruby-red berries add a wonderful tart contrast to the rich chicken and fragrant rice. Optional, but highly recommended! In a pinch, substitute dried currants or cranberries.
- Olive oil РUsed for saut̩ing the onions and garlic and searing the chicken.
- Salt – Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt per pound for best results.
- Optional garnishes – Fresh parsley or cilantro, pomegranate seeds, slivered almonds, or pistachios add freshness, color, and texture.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.
How to Make Persian Chicken
Soak the rice. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place rice in a bowl and cover with water to soak while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Season the Chicken. Mix the spices together in a bowl. Season all sides of the chicken with salt (1 teaspoon per pound) then rub the spices all over the chicken, using it all. Set the chicken aside.
Saute. In a large oven-proof skillet, braiser or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant, seasoning with salt and pepper, and set these aside.
Sear the chicken. Add more oil to the same pan if needed. Place the chicken skin-side down, gently searing over medium heat, just until nicely golden, about 4 minutes. Turn over, and sear for 1 minute; no need to cook through. Set aside.
Combine. Drain the rice well-place in the same pan. Add the water, salt, saffron and barberries. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover with half the onions (save the remaining onions for the top). Nestle in the chicken, skin side up.
Nestle the remaining onions around the chicken. Rice should be at a simmer.
Bake. Cover and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking until rice is tender and thighs reach 165F, another 10-20 minutes. Broil a few minutes, for extra crispy skin.
Garnish. Garnish with parsley or cilantro. Pomegranate seeds would be nice here too, or add a nut.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t skip the barberries! Their tart, bright flavor is a wonderful contrast to the rich chicken and fragrant rice. Dried currants or cranberries can work in a pinch, though the flavor will be sweeter.
- Keep the chicken skin above the rice. Nestle the chicken into the rice with the skin facing up so it can become golden and crisp as the dish bakes.
- Check the rice before serving. If the chicken is cooked but the rice needs more time, remove the chicken, add a splash of hot water if needed, cover, and continue cooking until the rice is tender.
What to Serve with Persian Chicken
You can certainly enjoy this on its own as a full main course; however, if you are looking for a vegetable side, our Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce or Baked Zucchini Tian would be the perfect accompaniment.
Or serve with a salad– this Persian Walnut Salad, Lebanese Slaw (Salatet Malfouf) or even tzatziki.
Storage and Reheating
- To store: Let the Persian Chicken and Rice cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking.
- To reheat: Add a splash of water or chicken broth to keep the rice moist. Cover and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until the chicken and rice are steaming hot throughout (165°F). For crispy chicken skin, reheat the chicken separately in the oven or air fryer.
- To freeze: Once cooled, portion the chicken and rice into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Flavorful Chicken Recipes
Watch how to make Persian Chicken
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe! Enjoy – xo. Sylvia
Print
Persian Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: chicken recipe, dinner idea, Main
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Persian
Description
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup basmati rice – or other long grain rice- see notes.
- 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken- a mix of breasts and thighs are perfect
- Salt to taste (1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken)
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon barberries, optional
- Pinch saffron, crumbled (or sub 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- Optional garnishes: Flat leaf parsley, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, nuts ( slivered almonds, slivered pistachios)
Persian Spice Blend
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Place rice in a bowl and cover with water to soak while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- Mix the Persian spices together in a bowl. Season all sides of the chicken with salt (use 1 teaspoon per pound) then rub the spice blend all over the chicken, using it all. Set chicken aside. See note.Â
- In a large oven-proof skillet, braiser or Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant, seasoning with salt and pepper, and set these aside.
- To the same pan, add more oil if needed. Place the chicken skin-side down, gently searing over medium heat, until beatuifully golden, about 4-5 minutes. Turn over, and sear 1-2 minutes. No need to cook through. Set it aside.
- Rinse and drain the rice well-place in the same pan. Add the water, salt, saffron and barberries. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
- Cover with ½ the onions. Nestle in the chicken, skin side up.
- Nestle the rest of the onions in between the chicken. Bring rice to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the rice is just tender.Â
- Remove the cover and continue baking until rice is tender and thighs reach 165F, another 10-20 minutes depending on chicken size. Feel free to broil for a few minutes if you like a crispier skin.
- Garnish with parsley or cilantro. Pomegranate seeds would be nice here too or add a nut.
Notes
Salt is key here, be intentional about adding roughly 1 teaspoon per pound of chicken, otherwise chicken may be bland.Â
You can sub Lebanese 7 Spice or even Ras el Hanout for the spicesÂ
Serve with a bowl of harissa yogurt. Mix ½ cup plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon harissa paste.Â
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One piece chicken with ¾ cup rice
- Calories: 528
- Sugar: 1.2 g
- Sodium: 599.1 mg
- Fat: 21.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 41.3 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 40.2 g
- Cholesterol: 111.4 mg
Loved this recipe! Thank you so much.
Glad you hear this Alisa!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it several times and have shared it with many friends who are equally impressed. Thank you Sylvia.
Glad you are enjoying Colleen!
This is delicious ! I received a Staub braiser for Mother’s Day and broke it in with this recipe . So many wonderful levels of flavor to this Persian chicken .
The yogurt and harissa sauce added an additional layer I highly recommend . This not only tasted amazing but looked beautiful on the plate .
Hi Kate, Glad you gave it a try! Enjoy cooking in your new braiser- so awesome!
Has become a firm family favourite- fabulous
Great to hear!
I have had this recipe bookmarked for a long time and I finally made it tonight. It was absolutely delicious! I used boneless thighs because that is what I had on hand, and I just skipped Step 9 to reduce the baking time. I added chopped apricots and currants to the rice and I think it was good with some sweetness to compliment the saffron. I made the Lebanese Slaw for a side and it was so good!
So happy you enjoyed this Ayla! Appreciate your review.
This is so delicious. I’ve made it at least 10 times, including for a dinner party. It’s reminiscent of Otam Ottolenghi’s chicken although with less fuss. I do borrow one of his tips which is to add a sprinkle of dried dill before you put the chicken in the oven. We also always add pistachios for garnish and a light drizzle of pomegranate molasses. For some reason it’s difficult to find bone-in thighs so I just get a whole chicken and cut it up. We are just two people and believe me when I say we could eat the entire dish in one sitting lol
So happy you are enjoying this Laura! Your additions sound delicious.
Excellent recipe! The spice profile is terrific and the rice keeps its integrity. Followed pretty much as written only adding raisins for some sweetness and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup 💗
Love the additions Diane!