What type of chicken should I use?

We love a mix of bone-in, skin-on breasts and thighs for this recipe because they infuse the rice with incredible flavor.

How long will this recipe keep?

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze Persian Chicken?

Yes! Let the dish cool completely, then store in airtight containers. Thaw in the fridge before reheating on the stove. Add a splash of water if needed.

One-Pan Persian Chicken & Rice

Name: Persian Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 1 ½ 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; One red onion thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped; 2 cups water; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon barberries, optional; Pinch saffron, crumbled (or sub ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric); Optional garnishes: Flat leaf parsley, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, nuts ( slivered almonds, slivered pistachios); 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon coriander; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon cardamom; ½ teaspoon allspice; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Description

This Persian Chicken recipe is so flavorful and comforting! The savory, tender chicken and basmati rice are infused with fragrant Persian spices – a delightful one-pan dinner that comes together quickly and easily!

Ingredients

Units

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
One 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

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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.
In a large oven-proof skillet, braiser or Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium-high heat. Saute 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, just until nicely golden, about 4 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 in the rest of the onions, in between the chicken. Rice should come to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking 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.

You can sub Lebanese 7 Spice or even Ras el Hanout for the spices

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