Chicken and Rice (Morgh Polo)

For the rice:
Cook the rice in a large pot according to package instructions for al dente. When the rice is just hard in the middle and soft on the outside (al dente), turn off the burner and drain the rice into a colander.

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil into the large pot to cover the bottom of it and put it on medium heat. Add the rice into the pot, poke some holes with the back of a spatula almost to the bottom of the pot to release steam, and cover pot.

Combine the ground saffron and hot water in a small bowl. Set aside.

When steam rises to the lid of the pot (this is easy to tell with a clear lid, otherwise wait about 5 minutes) remove the lid and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with most of the saffron-water mixture over the top (the small remainder will be added to the chicken). Replace the lid with a large folded napkin or kitchen towel placed directly and tightly underneath it to catch the steam.

After about 5 minutes turn heat to medium-low and heat for about 30 minutes or until the pot sizzles when you splash a couple drops of water on the side of it—whichever happens last. Remove from heat. You can either carefully flip the rice over onto a serving platter so that you can see the beautifully crisp tahdig (crispy rice at the bottom of the pot) or just serve yourself directly out of the pot, but make sure to dig for some tahdig at the bottom! It’s a treat!

For the chicken:
In a large pot on medium-high heat, add a splash (or approximately 1 tablespoon) of olive oil. After oil is hot, swirl it around the pot and add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Let them cook for a few minutes until seared on the first side and easy to lift (they should be easy to lift up when they’re ready to flip). Cook for a few more minutes on other side, until seared and easy to lift. Remove them from the pot and onto a plate.

Cook the chicken tenders the same way and then add the chicken thighs back into the pot. Add the onion. Place on medium heat and add turmeric powder, salt, and pepper and move everything in the pot around to coat.

Add the water to the pot to keep it from burning, mix ingredients around, and place lid on top. After 20 minutes, turn heat to medium-low and cook for another 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Add a bit of the remaining saffron-water mixture on top of the chicken while it’s simmering. If the liquid in the pot starts to evaporate, don’t let it dry out. Add more water to replace liquid loss. Remove from heat and serve.

When plating, add the liquid/broth to your chicken and your rice for added flavor.