Fragrant chicken cooked with rosewater, saffron, and an abundance of spice on a bed of saffron infused rice topped with barberries. This is full of exotic flavors and comes together so easily for a delicious and easy meal.
My friend who recently moved to the US gave me this recipe when I asked her what she cooks when she misses home. When I tried it, I completely get why it’s her go to. It’s her mom’s recipe, and it’s a great one.
Making Iranian style shredded chicken:
First, you make the rice. After it cooks, you remove a portion and mix it with saffron, turmeric, and rosewater infused water to stain it yellow. You keep the majority of the rice white to create a pretty two toned contrast.
To make the chicken, you boil chicken breasts in water that’s been infused with spices (curry, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon). You also add onion halves to the water for extra flavor. You then shred the chicken, and add it to a diced onion you’ve cooked until golden brown. barberries, and a rosewater, saffron and sugar infused mixture.
What are barberries?
Very sour and tangy dried berries commonly used in Iranian cuisine. You can probably find these in specialty shops or can try substituting dried pomegranate or dried cranberries.
Alternative Chicken Sources:
I actually didn’t boil chicken breasts, and instead used cooked shredded chicken I already had in my freezer from making homemade chicken broth. You could also get rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and shred it up.
If using already cooked chicken for this recipe the change you’ll make is to add the spices you would have added while boiling the chicken (curry, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon) to the diced onions in step 8 of the recipe below.
Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
You can prepare the rice in advance and the chicken a day in advance and heat and assemble the day of serving.
What to serve Persian chicken with?
A simple chopped salad of tomatoes and cucumbers
or my favorite, yogurt sprinkled with a little dry mint!
Persian Saffron Chicken with Barberry Rice
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 small onions, one of which is diced, one is cut in half
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1.5 teaspoon curry spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1.5 teaspoon sugar
- pinch of saffron
- zest of one orange
- 1/3 cup rose water
- handful sliced pistachios, and/or almonds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup barberries, plus additional for topping.
For the rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 3.5 cups water
- salt to taste
- pinch of saffron
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
Instructions
For the rice:
- Soak the basmati rice for 5 minutes then drain and rinse in a colander until water runs clear.
- Add rice to a medium saucepan, and top with the water. You need the water to cover the rice by about a 1/2 inch to an 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the rice and water to a boil, then cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to as low as possible and let rice cook for 15 minutes. Check on the rice. If there is still some water, let it cook another 5 minutes. If the water is absorbed turn heat off and move pan off the burner. Let stand 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
- Remove about 1/3 of the rice, and in a separate small bowl mix together a few tablespoons of hot water with a pinch of saffron and the turmeric until a yellow liquid forms. Add the 1 teaspoon of rosewater and pour on top of the 1/3 portion of rice. Mix evenly until rice turns a light yellow color. Set both yellow and white rice aside. You can cook your chicken at the same time as your rice:
For the chicken:
- Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the two onion halves, cardamom, turmeric, curry spice, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then keeping heat at medium, boil for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Drain and cool.
- Shred chicken into thin slices using a fork or hands.
- In a very small pot, heat the sugar, saffron, rose water, orange zest and pistachios/almonds until sugar dissolves.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, then add the diced onion and cook until soft and fragrant, then add the shredded chicken, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the barberries, then the saffron sugar mixture. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, until chicken has browned.
- Assemble by placing the white rice on a serving platter, topping with the yellow rice, then the chicken barberry mixture. Garnish with extra sliced nuts and barberries.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked this recipe you might want to try:
Mujaddarat Bulgur with Cucumber Mint Yogurt
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Adrianne says
This recipe looks so aromatic, I love it! If I could dive through the screen and try it, I would. I also love the pinch of saffron in the rice.
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks so much Adrianne! Love your comment
Dannii says
What a beautiful and simple chicken dish. I can’t wait to try it.
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Dannii! Hope you like it
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
I love that you used barberries and rosewater in this recipe. Aren’t barberries the same as goji berries? I remember the barberry flavored candies from childhood, but never tried to combine these flavors with rice and chicken. Thanks for sharing!
Farah Abumaizar says
They are very similar I think drink the same family but barberries are more tart! Goji berries would be a great sub though!
Natalie says
Looks so delicious and festive! I love Persian rice and this dish would be perfect for Rosh Hashana too!
Farah Abumaizar says
Yes I’m sure it would be! Perfect flavors
Megan says
Oh this recipe looks the bomb! It sounds amazing. I have never used barberries before. I will have to see if I can find them here in Australia.
Farah Abumaizar says
Amazing! Or substitute dried pomegrenage, goji berries or cranberries :))