Shirin Polo with Chicken
Layered saffron rice with chicken, homemade candied orange peel and measured nuts.
Preparation: 25 min · Cooking: 1 hr 30 min · Total: 1 hr 55 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 240 ml Dry basmati rice
- 150 g Raw boneless chicken breast
- 30 g Fresh orange peel strips, excess white pith removed
- 10 g Ready-to-eat pistachios
- 40 g Sugar for candying peel
- 60 ml Water for peel syrup
- 50 g Onion for poaching
- 0.25 tsp Ground turmeric
- 15 g Ready-to-eat almond slivers
- 1 tbsp Ghee for pot base
- 0.125 tsp Saffron threads
- 30 ml Hot saffron infusion water
- 30 ml Separate rice steaming water
- 500 ml Chicken poaching water, not rice liquid
- 1500 ml Rice parboiling water, discarded
- 900 ml Orange blanching water, three fresh equal baths
- Salt
Instructions
Blanch the peel three times
Wash oranges before preparing the measured peel strips. Divide blanching water into three fresh equal baths, 300 ml each at base. Boil peel from 2 minutes in each bath, draining and discarding each water. Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; step quantities describe the 2-serving base. Halve every allowance for one serving, multiply by four for eight, and keep the same thickness and per-batch checks. Cups are 240 ml, tablespoons 15 ml and teaspoons 5 ml.
Boil peel from 2 minutes in each bath, draining and discarding each water.
Blanch the peel three times: 360 seconds
Candy the measured fresh peel
Simmer softened peel in the measured sugar and syrup water from 10 minutes until tender and coated. Drain; use the whole drained peel result, not extra purchased peel. Final volume is variable, not promised as 60 ml.
Final volume is variable, not promised as 60 ml.
Candy the measured fresh peel: 600 seconds
Poach chicken safely
Poach raw chicken with onion, turmeric, salt and its separate water, checking from 15 minutes until the thickest centre reaches 74°C. Use measured extra process water only if needed to cover, recording it. Keep raw tools separate.
Keep raw tools separate.
Poach chicken safely: 900 seconds
Shred with clean forks
Lift cooked chicken and shred with clean forks. The listed weight is raw, not a guaranteed cooked yield. Do not add drained poaching liquid or orange syrup to the rice hydration.
Do not add drained poaching liquid or orange syrup to the rice hydration.
Parboil and drain rice
Rinse rice and parboil in its measured boiling water with salt. Check from 7 minutes for softened outside with a firm core; drain and discard water.
Check from 7 minutes for softened outside with a firm core; drain and discard water.
Parboil and drain rice: 420 seconds
Layer the rice and filling
Melt measured ghee across a non-stick pot base over low heat. Layer drained rice loosely with shredded chicken, all drained candied peel and measured almonds and pistachios. No carrots or additional fat are included.
No carrots or additional fat are included.
Infuse and steam covered
Infuse saffron in its hot water and pour over rice with separate steaming water. Close with a normal fitted lid, without a cloth. Steam low, checking from 45 minutes until rice is tender and the chicken/rice assembly reaches 74°C throughout.
Steam low, checking from 45 minutes until rice is tender and the chicken/rice assembly reaches 74°C throughout.
Infuse and steam covered: 2700 seconds
Fluff, serve and chill promptly
Fluff gently and serve hot with any crisp base. A browned crust does not prove centre doneness. Chill rice leftovers in shallow portions ideally within 1 hour, refrigerate up to 24 hours and reheat only once until steaming throughout.
Chill rice leftovers in shallow portions ideally within 1 hour, refrigerate up to 24 hours and reheat only once until steaming throughout.
Tips
- Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; step quantities describe the 2-serving base. Halve every allowance for one serving, multiply by four for eight, and keep the same thickness and per-batch checks. Cups are 240 ml, tablespoons 15 ml and teaspoons 5 ml.
Common mistakes
- Timers are first checks, not guarantees; follow this recipe’s actual texture and temperature checks. Keep the approved ingredient allocations separate.
Substitutions
- Use only the listed ingredients and preparation states; no unmeasured substitution is approved for this master.
Storage
Chill rice promptly in shallow portions, ideally within 1 hour; use within 24 hours at 4°C or colder. Reheat only once until steaming throughout.
Reheating
Reheat cooked leftovers once until steaming throughout and the centre reaches 74°C. Do not rely on a warm surface.
About this recipe
Layered saffron rice with chicken, homemade candied orange peel and measured nuts.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.