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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chicken tahchin

Chicken tahchin is a Persian baked rice cake, molded in a dish, layered with chicken and flavored with saffron. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour 50 minutes, medium difficulty, and costs about €3 per person. The key to success is parcooking the rice before baking and packing it down to form the golden crust.

Tonight we're making tahchin, a Persian saffron rice cake with yogurt, layered with chicken, with a golden crust that cracks when you cut into it.

Chicken tahchin
Total time
1 h 50
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Tahchin is a rice cake you slice and serve like a pie. The rice, mixed with yogurt and eggs, turns soft and custardy inside, while the bottom and edges turn golden and crisp in the oven. Steeped saffron gives it a warm golden color and a subtle scent, and the turmeric in the chicken adds its own earthy note. You get two textures in one bite, the creamy rice and the crackly crust.

This is a dish for a Sunday or a dinner with guests, since it needs real oven time and careful unmolding. Kids generally love it, the rice is mild and the chicken is tucked inside. Mon Chou suggests this tahchin when you want a change from plain chicken and rice, with no complicated prep, just a bit of patience at the oven.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • chicken breasts 500 g

Pantry

  • basmati riceoften in the pantry 350 g
  • saffron 1 pinch
  • turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • plain yogurt 300 g
  • eggs 3
  • butter 60 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • onion 1

Allergens Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, then drain and rinse it. 8 min

    It should be only half cooked, it will finish cooking in the oven.

  2. Brown the diced chicken with the onion, turmeric, salt, and pepper, until cooked through. 12 min

    Cut the chicken into small pieces, it will be easier to spread evenly.

  3. Mix the yogurt with the eggs, the steeped saffron, and salt, then fold in the rice.

    The mixture should be smooth and creamy, not too runny.

  4. Butter a baking dish, spread half the rice, add the chicken, then cover with the rest of the rice, pressing it down firmly.

    Pack it down well with the back of a spoon, that's what forms the crust.

  5. Bake at 180°C, then let rest 10 minutes before unmolding. 55 min

    Cover with foil for the first 30 minutes so the top doesn't dry out.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a baking dish that isn't too wide, the rice needs to build up 4 to 5 centimeters high to hold together when unmolded.
  • Let the saffron actually steep in a little warm water for a few minutes before mixing it in, otherwise the color stays pale.
  • Butter the dish generously before adding the rice, that's what lets the crust release in one solid piece.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for ground lamb cooked the same way, that's the traditional version in some families.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with onion sauteed spinach and already cooked red lentils.
  • For quick kid portions, bake individual servings in buttered ramekins, cutting the baking time down to about 30 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber and mint salad
  • Plain yogurt on the side
  • Roasted vegetables

Storage

Tahchin keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well in individual portions. Reheat in the oven or microwave, the crust only gets crisp again in the oven.

Questions about this dish

Why doesn't my tahchin unmold in one piece?

Usually the dish wasn't buttered enough or the rice wasn't packed down firmly before baking. Also let it rest the full 10 minutes before flipping the dish.

Can you make tahchin ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the dish the day before and keep it covered in the fridge, then bake it the next day. Add a few extra minutes of baking time since it goes in cold.

Is saffron really necessary?

It gives the dish its golden color and signature aroma, but you can skip it if you don't have any. The tahchin will be paler but just as creamy inside.

Can you substitute the plain yogurt?

A slightly thicker Greek yogurt works very well and actually makes the rice even creamier. Avoid sweetened or flavored yogurts, since they'll change the taste of the dish.

How long does it take to make a chicken tahchin?

Count 1 h 50 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a chicken tahchin?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken tahchin cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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