Baked chicken with saffron rice

Recipe : Baked chicken with saffron rice

Adapted from Under the walnut tree by Anna and Fanny Bergenstrom

I adapted the recipe to include chicken stock instead of water for the cooking of the rice as I felt it needed a little extra flavour.

 

1 cup basmati rice

2 tbsp olive oil, separated

3 cups chicken stock

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp saffron strands

2 tbsp hot water

4 chicken thighs

1 tbsp butter

4 whole cloves

4 whole green cardamoms

1 one inch piece of cinnamon stick

1 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp almonds

2 tbsp sultanas

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

First, toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking quite frequently until they are golden brown and smell wonderful. Set aside.

Place the rice in a colander and rinse several times with cold water, then place in a bowl with lots of water to soak for 1 hour.

Bring the drained rice, chicken stock, 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp salt to boil in a pan over medium heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain away the excess liquid and set aside.

Place the saffron in a bowl with the 2 tbsp hot water and let infuse for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the other 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the chicken thighs until golden and cooked through. Place on top of the rice in the pan with any juices accumulated. 

Add the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, onion, cumin, almonds and sultanas to the pan and drizzle with the saffron water. Tuck in the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, cover, bring to the boil, then simmer, very gently for about 35 minutes until fragrant and fluffy. You can fleck the whole thing with some butter or maybe even ghee before serving if you like..