Morgh Polow ~ Persian Rice & Chicken
A comforting, aromatic combination of tender chicken, fluffy saffron rice and crispy tahdig crust—this traditional Persian dish is made easy using a pressure cooker.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Nonstick Pot for tahdig crust
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice rinsed and soaked
- 1.5 pounds Chicken thighs bone-in, skinless
- 1 Onion large, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground turmeric
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 4 cups Water
- 0.25 teaspoon Saffron threads dissolved in 2 tablespoon hot water
Instructions
Instructions
- Rinse basmati rice under cold water until clear and soak for 30 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in pressure cooker and sauté sliced onions until golden.
- Add chicken with turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Brown all sides.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water, seal pressure cooker, and cook for 30 minutes. Do a natural pressure release.
- In separate pot, boil water, drain and parboil soaked rice for 6–8 minutes until al dente.
- In a nonstick pot, layer: half rice, chicken and sauce, rest of rice. Drizzle saffron water on top.
- Cover lid with clean towel and steam over low heat for 30–40 minutes to create crispy tahdig.
Notes
Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of water to maintain rice texture. Tahdig is best re-crisped in a hot pan.