Instructions

FOR THE CHICKEN

• Add your onions to the pot and sauté until light and translucent.
• Add your chicken breast to the onions and stir well.
• Season with saffron, turmeric and salt and stir well.
• Cover pot with lid so that the juices from the chicken and onions caramelize and create a sauce which you will use in layering.
• Cook on low/medium heat and set aside while you work on your rice.

FOR THE RICE

• After you have washed and soaked your basmati rice add it to boiling water and bring it to par boil. This is where it’s not hard but also not soft, think al dente.
• Drain your rice into a strainer and rinse it with cold water. Rinsing it with cold water prevents it from continuing to cook while hot.
• Set aside and work on your yogurt mixture.

YOGURT SAFFRON MIXTURE

• Mix all of your ingredients together and whisk it until your mixture is a deep yellow. Taste test to make sure your salt and pepper is to your liking.
• Add in your basmati rice and coat all the rice into the mixture. When mixing the rice, stir gently so that you don’t break any of the grains of rice.

BARBERRIES

• Melt butter and sauté your barberries gently being mindful not to smash them rather allow them to puff up as they cook.
• Add sugar once barberries have puffed up and coat the barberries well with the sugar.
• Add rose water to the barberries and do not overcook so the rose water doesn’t evaporate.

ASSEMBLY

• Shred your cooked saffron and turmeric chicken and add the caramelized juices from the pot with the chicken. Oil your muffin pan (s) and add your first layer of the rice and yogurt mixture throughout. Then add your second layer which is the chicken, and lastly add your third layer of the remaining rice and yogurt mixture. Cover your muffin pan(s)  with foil. Add some slits to the foil to release heat while baking. Bake at 400 degree for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. Once baked, scoop out the bites with a spoon and style your tahcheen bites.

Decorate. Serve. Enjoy. Nooshee jan!