Best Saffron Scented Chicken Pilaf Recipes

Saffron Scented Chicken Pilaf image

Provided by Brookelynne26

Time 30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

18 ounces chicken breasts, cut into 1 x 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
juice of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon saffron thread
1 quart chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 -3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 1/4 cups basmati rice
3 -4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 lemon, juice and zest of
1/4 cup cashew nuts
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons pine nuts
3 -4 tablespoons shelled pistachio nuts
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Steps:

Marinate the chicken pieces in the yogurt, lemon and cinnamon for about an hour. Soak the saffron threads in the chicken stock.
Over medium heat, in a large pan with a lid, melt the butter along with 1 tablespoon oil and add the rice, stirring it to coat until glossy. Pour in the saffron and chicken stock, add the cardamom pods, lemon juice and zest and bring the pan to the boil, then clamp on a lid and turn the heat down to very low. Cook like this for about 10-15 minutes, by which time the rice should have absorbed the liquid and be cooked through.
While the rice is cooking, shake the excess yogurt marinade off the chicken using a sieve. Then fry the meat in a hot pan with the remaining spoonful or so of oil, and do this in batches so that the chicken colours rather than just pallidly stews to cookedness.
When the rice is cooked, take it off the heat and fork through the pan-bronzed chicken pieces. Toast all the nuts except the pistachios, by simply shaking them in an oil-less frying-pan over a medium heat until they colour and begin to give off their waxy scent, and then add them to the pilaf along with the chopped parsley. Pile everything on to a plate and add a fabulously green sprinkling of slivered or roughly chopped pistachios.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 618.3, Fat 26.8, SaturatedFat 6.2, Cholesterol 64.3, Sodium 324.3, Carbohydrate 64.2, Fiber 3.7, Sugar 4.2, Protein 30.3

SAFFRON-SCENTED CHICKEN PILAF image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

18 oz chicken breast, cut into 1" X 1/2" pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole-milk yogurt
juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 generous quart chicken stock
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 Tbsp peanut oil
2 1/4 cups basmati rice
3-4 cardamom pods, bruised
juice and zest of 1 lemon
scant 1/4 cup cashew nuts
scant 1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsp pine nuts
3-4 Tbsp pistachio nuts, shelled and chopped
small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Steps:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in the yogurt, juice of half a lemon and cinnamon for about an hour. Soak the saffron threads in the chicken stock. 2. Over medium heat, in a large pan with a lid, melt the butter and 1 Tbsp oil. Add the rice, stirring it to coat. Pour in the saffron and chicken stock, add the cardamom, remaining lemon juice and zest. Bring the pan to a boil, then turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid and cooked through. 3. While the rice is cooking, shake the excess marinade off the chicken. Then fry chicken in batches in a hot pan with the remaining oil so it colors. 4. Toast the cashews, almonds and pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat. 5. In serving bowl, combine the rice, chicken, toasted nuts and parsley. Sprinkle with pistachios.