PERSIAN LAYERED CHICKEN AND RICE WITH YOGURT (Tachin Joojeh)

By PineyCook

Ingredients

• Yogurt Sauce
• 2 cups plain yogurt, whole milk or low-fat
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled mint or basil to sprinkle on top (optional)
• Chicken and Onions
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 large onion or 2 medium, halved and sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided, see instructions)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided, see instructions)
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Tachin
• 2-quart glass (see-through) casserole
• 2 cups long grain Basmati rice, swished with water and drained 6 or 7 times
• 2 egg yolks (whites are not needed for this recipe)
• 3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads crushed with 1/4 teaspoon salt with a mortar and pestle or with the curved back of a fork.
• 2 teaspoons salt (divided - see instructions)
• Fresh black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 tablespoons barberries (or substitute currants)
• some olive oil to sauté the barberries

Details

Adapted from panningtheglobe.com

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 400 F

2.Yogurt Sauce In a medium bowl mix yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Sprinkle mint or basil on top (optional) Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

3.Chicken and onions Season chicken on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat until very hot. Add chicken - it should sizzle - and cook 6 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. (It will be golden brown on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside) Remove from heat, cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, add onions, ½ teaspoon salt, turmeric and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6-7 minutes over medium heat until onions soften and turn golden brown. Mix with cubed chicken and set aside.

4.Tachin: step one Put rinsed rice and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, covered, for 7 minutes. Pour into a strainer, drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking and set aside.

5.Tachin: step two Whisk egg yolks, yogurt, saffron, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Add half the cooked, drained rice, mix thoroughly and set aside.

6.Tachin: step three Swirl melted butter and olive oil in the 2-quart casserole to coat bottom and sides. Add yogurt & rice mixture and smooth it out into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Add chicken and onion mixture next, making an even layer. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt to the remaining plain white rice, stir to combine and add to top of casserole, pressing it down gently. Cover casserole with lid or a double layer of foil and bake in the lower third of preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a light brown crust forms on the bottom. Remove from oven. Carefully flip casserole upside down onto a platter. Cover the top with a clean dish cloth while you give the Barberries a 1 minute stir in a frying pan with a bit of oil. Toss them on top of the Tachin to garnish. Cut Tachin into six servings and enjoy with yogurt sauce on the side.