SAFFRON CHICKEN PILAF

SAFFRON CHICKEN PILAF image

Categories Chicken

Yield 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 pound / 500g chicken breasts, cubed
200g / 1 cup Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 litre / 2 cups chicken broth
15g /3 tsp butter
2-3 TBS groundnut oil
500g / 2 cup basmati rice
3-4 cardamon pods, bruised
juice and zest of 1 lemon
50g / 2oz cashew nuts
50g / 2oz flaked almonds
25g / 1oz pine nuts
3-4 TBS shelled pistachio nuts
small bunch of chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

Marinate the chicken in yogurt, lemon and cinnamon for at least 1 hour. Soak saffron threads in chicken broth. Over medium heat, melt the butter with 1 TBS oil and add the rice, stirring until coated. Pour saffron and chicken stock, add cardamon pods, lemon juice and zest and bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is cooked through. While rice is cooking, shake excess marinade off chicken and fry meat in hot pan with remaining oil, do in batches. When the rice is ready, remove from hear and mix in chicken. Toast all the nuts except the pistachios and add to pilaf along with parsley.