Persian Recipes UK: Saffron Chicken and Barberry Rice

Zereshk polo ba morgh is a much-loved Persian dish of saffron-scented rice, tart barberries and gently braised chicken, served together as a generous main course. This home-cookable version uses ingredients available from many UK supermarkets and Middle Eastern grocers, with a crisp potato rice crust and clear alternatives for harder-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

2 cups (370 g) basmati rice
6 cups (1.4 L) water for parboiling the rice, plus extra cold water for rinsing
1 tablespoon (18 g) salt for the rice water
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2 lb (900 g)
1 large onion, finely sliced, about 9 oz (250 g)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, divided
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground turmeric
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon, optional
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1½ cups (360 ml) water for braising
1¼ teaspoons (7 g) fine salt, divided between the chicken and barberries
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon (about 0.1 g) saffron threads
2 tablespoons (30 ml) just-boiled water for blooming the saffron
1 medium potato, about 6 oz (180 g), peeled and sliced into thin rounds
½ cup (55 g) dried barberries (zereshk), picked over and rinsed briefly
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (15 g) chopped pistachios, optional, for serving

Instructions

Rinse and soak the rice. Put the basmati in a bowl, cover with cold water and swirl it gently with your fingers. Drain and repeat until the water is much less cloudy. Cover the rice with fresh cold water and leave it to soak for 30 minutes. This gives the grains a more even texture; set a timer so the rice does not sit forgotten while you prepare the other ingredients.
Prepare and brown the chicken. Pat the thighs dry and season them with ¾ teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the chicken skin-side down for about 5 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Work in batches if needed so the pieces have room; crowded chicken steams instead of browning. Transfer it to a plate.
Build the braising sauce. Add the sliced onion to the same pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon if using, and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Pour in the braising water and stir to dissolve the tomato paste. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Braise until tender and safe. Cover the pan with its lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning the chicken once if the liquid does not cover it evenly. Keep the heat low enough that the sauce bubbles softly rather than boiling hard. Check the thickest part of each thigh with a food thermometer, without touching the bone: poultry must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If it has not, continue simmering and check again. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if needed.
Bloom the saffron. While the chicken finishes, grind the saffron threads with a pinch of sugar or salt using a mortar and pestle, if available. Stir the threads into 2 tablespoons of just-boiled water and leave them to steep for at least 10 minutes. The liquid should turn a deep golden orange. Keep it aside for the rice and garnish.
Parboil the rice. Bring 6 cups of water and the tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Drain the soaking rice, add it to the boiling water and stir once so the grains do not stick. Boil uncovered for 6–7 minutes. Start checking at 6 minutes: the outside of a grain should be soft while its centre remains slightly firm. Drain promptly in a fine colander and rinse briefly with lukewarm water to remove excess surface starch and salt.
Set up the potato crust. Use a clean, heavy pot with a close-fitting lid, ideally nonstick. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and arrange the potato rounds in a single layer over the base. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the saffron water over the potatoes. Spoon the drained rice loosely on top, shaping it into a mound without pressing it down. Use the handle of a spoon to make several holes through the rice almost to the bottom; these let steam circulate.
Steam the rice. Wrap the pot lid in a clean tea towel, keeping the fabric well away from the flame, and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to build steam, then turn the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time. The rice should be tender and fluffy, and the potato underneath should form a golden crust. If your stove runs hot, use a heat diffuser or the lowest burner setting to help prevent scorching.
Make the barberry topping. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over low heat. Add the rinsed barberries and sugar and stir for 1–2 minutes, just until glossy and plump. Barberries burn quickly, so keep the heat gentle and do not leave the pan unattended. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the remaining saffron water, then take the pan off the heat. If using very dry barberries, rinse them and drain well before frying; avoid soaking them for a long time, which can wash away their flavour.
Rest and serve. Turn off the heat under the rice and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Spoon a few tablespoons of plain rice into a bowl and mix it with the rest of the saffron water for a bright golden garnish. Spoon the remaining rice onto a warm platter, arrange the chicken and some braising sauce alongside, and top the rice with the saffron grains and barberries. Lift the potato crust out carefully and serve it in pieces, with pistachios if desired.

Tips

Find barberries in the UK: Look for dried zereshk in Persian or Middle Eastern food shops, some larger international grocers, or specialist online shops. They are small, ruby-red and distinctly tart. If you cannot find them, use dried cranberries chopped into smaller pieces and add a squeeze of lemon; cranberries are sweeter and fruitier, so the result will not have quite the same sharp Persian barberry flavour.
Use saffron sparingly but bloom it: Saffron is often sold in UK specialist shops and online. A small pinch is enough when steeped in hot water before it is added. If unavailable, a pinch of turmeric will add colour but not saffron’s floral aroma, so treat it as a colour substitute rather than an exact flavour match.
Keep the grains separate: Rinse until the water is less cloudy, respect the short parboiling time and drain as soon as the rice is firm in the centre. Over-boiling at the parboiling stage can make the rice mushy after steaming. Basmati is preferable; another long-grain rice can work, but its cooking time and fragrance may differ.
Prevent a bitter crust: Use a heavy-bottomed pot and low heat for the long steaming stage. A deep brown crust is delicious, but blackened potatoes taste bitter. If your first tahdig sticks, let the pot rest for a few minutes, then loosen the edge gently with a thin spatula rather than scraping hard.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chicken and rice hot, with the braising sauce in a small jug so everyone can add as much as they like. A simple salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion, herbs and lemon is a fresh contrast to the buttery rice and rich chicken. Plain yoghurt, or yoghurt with dried mint and a little salt, is another easy accompaniment. Offer the potato tahdig separately or tuck pieces around the edge of the platter so they stay crisp.

Persian meals are often served family-style, with rice as the centrepiece and smaller sides alongside. A dish of fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, coriander and basil, can be set on the table for diners to nibble with the meal. If you are serving guests, keep the saffron rice and barberry garnish distinct until the last moment: the colourful topping looks attractive, and people can take the tart fruit in the amount they prefer. This recipe is filling enough to serve as the main course without another substantial dish.

Variations

Make it with boneless thighs: Use about 1½ lb (680 g) boneless chicken thighs if that is what you can buy. They are easier to serve but can cook faster, so begin checking for doneness after about 25 minutes of simmering and use a thermometer to confirm 165°F (74°C). Bone-in pieces tend to make a more flavourful sauce and are less likely to dry out during braising.

Choose a different tahdig: For a simpler crust, omit the potato and use a thin layer of flatbread at the bottom of the oiled pot. Lavash is traditional in some kitchens; a plain flour tortilla can work as a practical UK supermarket substitute, though it gives a different texture. You can also skip the crust altogether and steam the rice in a lightly oiled pot, but the potato version gives a useful contrast of crisp and fluffy textures.

Adjust the fruit and garnish: Some cooks use more barberries and little or no sugar, while others prefer a sweeter garnish. Start with the quantity given, taste a berry after warming it, and adjust the sugar by a teaspoon if it is especially sour. Toasted flaked almonds can replace pistachios, or leave out nuts entirely. Keep the chicken and rice method the same so the texture and timing remain dependable.

Make a meat-free version: For a vegetarian variation, serve the saffron and barberry rice with roasted aubergine, chickpeas or a platter of seasonal vegetables instead of chicken. The braising sauce is specific to the chicken version, so do not simply omit the meat and expect the same sauce; use a well-seasoned vegetable stock and cook the vegetables separately. This is a variation inspired by the flavours of the dish, not a claim that it is the same traditional preparation.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the chicken, rice and toppings promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow airtight containers. Keep the rice and chicken separate if possible; this helps the rice retain its texture and makes reheating easier. Properly refrigerated leftovers should be eaten within 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze in meal-sized portions, ideally within 2 hours of cooking, and use within about 2 months for the best quality. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat. Add a spoonful of water to the rice, cover it, and warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, stirring once if using a saucepan. Reheat chicken with a little sauce so it stays moist. Bring leftovers throughout to 165°F (74°C), checking the centre with a food thermometer, and do not repeatedly cool and reheat the same portion. The potato crust will soften in storage; reheat it in a lightly oiled frying pan or oven if you want to restore some crispness, while taking care that the chicken and rice also reach the safe reheating temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does zereshk polo ba morgh mean?
Zereshk polo ba morgh translates roughly as barberry rice with chicken. Zereshk are tart dried barberries, polo refers to rice prepared in the Persian style, and morgh means chicken. There are many household and regional approaches to the chicken seasoning, rice crust and garnish, so the method here is one practical version rather than the only way to make it.

Can I make the chicken and rice ahead?
You can braise the chicken a day ahead, cool it promptly and refrigerate it with its sauce. Reheat it gently until it reaches 165°F (74°C), while making the rice nearer to serving time for the best texture and crust. The rice can be cooked ahead too, but it will not have the same fresh, fluffy grains or crisp tahdig once chilled and reheated.

Do I have to soak basmati rice?
Soaking for 30 minutes helps the grains cook evenly and makes the parboiling stage easier to judge, but it is possible to cook without it. If you skip the soak, rinse the rice particularly well and begin checking it early while it boils; the exact time varies by brand and age. Do not compensate by leaving it in boiling water until completely tender, because it will steam again in the pot.

Why did my tahdig stick or burn?
A thin, uneven layer of oil, a pot that is too light, or heat that is too high can make the potatoes stick or burn before the rice steams through. Use a heavy nonstick pot if possible, arrange the potato slices in one layer, and lower the heat after the first 5 minutes of steaming. Let the pot stand off the heat for 10 minutes before loosening the crust around its edges.

Can I use dried cranberries instead of barberries?
Yes. Chop dried cranberries into small pieces and warm them briefly in butter with less sugar, then add a little lemon juice to bring in some tartness. They are larger, softer and sweeter than barberries, so the garnish will be more like a cranberry topping than the traditional sharp, delicate zereshk finish. Add them just before serving so they do not become overly soft.

Is this dish very spicy?
No: turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper give the chicken warmth and aroma, but the recipe contains no hot chilli. You can leave out the cinnamon if you prefer a simpler savoury sauce. If you want heat, offer chilli flakes or a fresh chilli condiment at the table so diners can adjust their own servings without changing the flavour of the shared pot.

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