SAVORY SAFFRON CHICKEN POLOW

Savory Saffron Chicken Polow image

This recipe is my twist on a traditional Persian chicken and rice dish introduced to me by a good friend's wife at a family dinner. I like to serve this to my family as a main meal accompanied with a salad.

Provided by Mike

Categories World Cuisine Recipes Middle Eastern Persian

Time 1h45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

5 ⅓ cups water
6 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
16 ounces yellow saffron rice
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
2 cups chicken broth
2 (16 ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
4 ounces raisins
1 tablespoon paprika

Steps:

Bring water and 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a large pot; stir in saffron rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil until lightly browned and softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir chicken into skillet and cook until seared on all sides; add chicken broth. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until broth is reduced and chicken is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Shred chicken using two forks to pull chicken cubes apart.
Preheat oven to 385 degrees F (196 degrees C). Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.
Spread 1/2 the rice in a layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon chicken and onion mixture over rice; spread chickpeas and raisins over chicken mixture. Top with remaining rice and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake in the preheated oven until liquid is almost completely cooked off and rice is lightly browned at the edges, about 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 763.5 calories, Carbohydrate 102.8 g, Cholesterol 87.8 mg, Fat 19.9 g, Fiber 6.8 g, Protein 45 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 1677.8 mg, Sugar 16 g