Persian chicken recipe

Ingredients

• A good pinch of saffron strands
• ¼ cup Clarified Butter
• 12 boneless chicken thighs, skin on
• 12 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 large cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1¾ cups basmati rice, rinsed
• 10 dates, pitted and sliced
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
• 2 strips of orange zest
• 2 strips of lemon zest
• 2 strips of lime zest
• 2 tablespoons sumac
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 315°F and have ready a large ovenproof dish. Put the saffron strands in a small bowl, pour over 2 tablespoons hot water and let stand.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in two batches and fry each batch for 10 minutes until all sides are caramelized and nicely colored. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining clarified butter and fry the cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize.
4. Stir in the rice, dates, raisins, almonds and pistachios and ensure they are all mixed together thoroughly. Stir in 2¾ cups water, the orange, lemon and lime zest, and the sumac, and bring to a simmer.
5. Tip the rice mixture into the casserole dish, drizzle the saffron water over it and bury the chicken thighs in the rice. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes until the water has evaporated, the rice is tender and the chicken juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.