Tahcheen
Tahcheen is a delicious rice that can be either baked on made on the stove. I am sure you will agree with me that Tacheen is such a pretty sight to look at because of it’s brightness in color, all thanks to amount of saffron that is used in it.
This is a simple dish to make, for best results I highly recommend you marinade the cooked chicken in yogurt over night.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cups yogurt
2 egg yolks
4 tbsp brewed saffron
3 cups rice
2 tbsp butter
canola oil
salt & pepper
Cut onion in large pieces and crush garlic cloves. Place onion and garlic in a pan. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place on top of onion and garlic. Add 1 cup of water, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
In the mean time mix yogurt, egg yolks and saffron together. Season with salt and pepper.
Shred chicken in chunks with two forks. The pieces should not be too big or too small.
Add chicken to yogurt mix. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Parboil rice according to directions in Cooking Rice For Polow post.
Remove chicken from marinade.
Add rice to the remainder of the yogurt and mix well. Season with more salt if needed.
Pour 2-3 tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a pirex dish. Spread the oil all over including the walls of the dish.
Place half of the rice in the dish and make sure that it is all even.
Arrange the chicken on top in a single layer.
Add remainder of the rice on top and flatten the top slightly pressing down with a spatula.
Melt the butter and pour over the rice.
Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350° for 2 1/2 hours.
March 23, 2014
Hello,
Tacheen is one of my favorite Persian dishes and I would like to try and cook it for a family gathering this Friday night but my family is Jewish so I cannot use the yogurt. Do you know what I could use to substitute? I really would love to make this dish! Happy Nowrooz!!
March 27, 2014
Adrian, I have heard the jewish version uses lemon juice and saffron and omits the yogurt.
March 30, 2014
Hi,
I have a persian friend and I would like to cook this dish for him. I was wondering, what is the temperature required for a fan oven?
Thanks !
March 30, 2014
Sarah, to be honest, I am not familiar with fan ovens…
April 14, 2014
Hi Adrian, I make my tahchin with non-dairy sour cream instead of yogurt to keep it kosher and it turns out perfect!
May 15, 2014
I made this last night. After 2 1/2 hours the top was not all golden and crusty 🙁 Should I have removed the foil at some point? Tasted great, though.
May 15, 2014
OK! I knew I needed to “turn it over” normally but was hoping that the baked method would give me “2” crusty tops! Ha ha ha. Wishful thinking, huh? I am not able physically to turn it over (as a full casserole). Making Zeresk for the left overs tonight.
August 3, 2014
Sanam, do you soak the rice for 8 hours or overnight for this recipe like the other dishes? Thanks in advance…Dawn Marie
August 6, 2014
Dawn Marie, you can either soak over night or just a few hours. There is no specific rule.
November 27, 2014
Thank you for that recipe!
One question: is the 350° in Farenheit or Celsius? Our oven only got 250° Celsius. would this work too?
December 3, 2014
Sohrab, farenheit!
February 22, 2015
For those new to making the dish, would be helpful to explain that you place a platter on top of the cooked dish to turn the dish over, serving with the bottom side up, where it is nice and golden brown. I had a recollection of my mother-in-law doing this as last step but was uncertain and served right side up 🙁 next time I will turn it over on a platter!
May 22, 2015
You can substitute mayo for the yogurt comes out great.
November 18, 2015
Must try this! One of my fave foods and my grandma used to make it ..soooo good. She’ll be watching from above as I hopefully perfect this
Thank you !
February 23, 2017
Do you include the onion and garlic in the yoghurt and chicken, or are they discarded after cooking the chicken?
February 24, 2017
Sue, some people like to include them. For this recipe I did not.
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