Juice Lime 1&1 330ml (ab limoo) 
Somayeh Sekanjebin Syrup 650ml (sharbat sekanjebin) Find rice, barberries and selected pantry ingredients for tahchin. Choose items for your own recipe and add fresh ingredients and any other seasonings separately.
From pantry to table
Tahchin with Chicken recipe
Golden saffron rice, tender chicken and a crisp crust, finished with tangy barberries.
Serves 4 | Prep 25 minutes | Cook about 1 hour 45 minutes | Plus 30 minutes soaking and 10 minutes resting
Ingredients
- 300 g basmati or Persian long-grain rice
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads, finely crushed, steeped in 30 ml hot water for 10 minutes
- 200 g thick plain yoghurt
- 2 egg yolks
- 60 ml neutral cooking oil, divided
- 25 g butter, divided
- 30 g dried barberries, rinsed and drained
- Salt, to taste, plus salt for the rice water
- Optional: 1 tsp sugar for the barberries; 1 tsp rose water; 15 g slivered pistachios
Step-by-step method
- Rinse the rice, cover with water and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, put the chicken, onion, turmeric and pepper in a saucepan with 500 ml water and a little salt. Simmer gently for 25–35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 75°C in its thickest part. Lift out, cool briefly and shred; discard the onion.
- Heat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Grease a 20–22 cm deep ovenproof dish with 15 ml of the oil and 15 g butter. Boil the drained rice in plenty of salted water for 5–7 minutes: the outside should soften while the centre stays firm. Drain well and let steam escape for a few minutes.
- Whisk the yoghurt, yolks, saffron water, remaining 45 ml oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in the rose water if using, then gently fold through the rice.
- Press half the rice into the dish. Spread the chicken over it, keeping it away from the edges, and cover with the remaining rice. Press gently and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 65–80 minutes, until the edges are deep golden and the centre is thoroughly hot and set. Rest for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and carefully invert onto a serving plate using oven gloves.
- Warm the remaining 10 g butter in a small pan. Toss in the drained barberries and optional sugar for 1–2 minutes over low heat. Spoon over the tahchin and add optional pistachios.
Shopping notes & alternatives
Shopping labels: Rice and saffron are essential. Turmeric and pepper season this chicken version. Barberries are the traditional finishing touch. Rose water and pistachios are optional. Buy chicken, onion, yoghurt, eggs, oil, butter and salt separately if unavailable in the Ilex catalogue. Allergens: milk, egg; pistachio garnish contains nuts.
Shop the pantry ingredients
Choose one suitable product for each ingredient. Pack sizes and alternatives are not additional recipe quantities. Check product labels for ingredients and allergens.
Saffron is essential for this Tahchin recipe. View genuine Saharkhiz saffron in 1 g, 0.5 g or 4 g packs. Check each product page for current availability; unavailable items may not appear in the shopping grid.