🍚 Zereshk Polo with Chicken

Name: Zereshk Polo with Chicken
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Iran
Ingredients: 300 g basmati rice; 600 g chicken thighs or legs; 1 large onion, sliced; Pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsp hot water; 40 g dried barberries, rinsed; 1 tbsp sugar; 30 g butter; Salt, pepper, turmeric

Origin: Iran

630kcal

per serving · 350 g

180kcal

per 100 g

32 gProtein9 g / 100 g

21 gFat6 g / 100 g

77 gCarbs22 g / 100 g

Zereshk polo is Persian saffron rice scattered with tart red barberries that are briefly cooked in butter and a little sugar, served with chicken braised with onion and saffron. The rice is fluffy and fragrant, the barberries add jewel-like colour and a sour bite. It is a favourite at family gatherings and celebrations.

Diets

✓

No porkfor halal, the meat must be halal-slaughtered

✓

Gluten-freeno wheat, barley or rye in a typical recipe

Not vegetarianbecause of: chicken

Not veganbecause of: chicken, butter

Contains dairybecause of: butter

Not keto22 g carbs per 100 g

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Milk

What it is made of

basmati ricebarberriessaffronchickenbuttersugaronion

Recipe

4 servings90 min

Ingredients

300 g basmati rice
600 g chicken thighs or legs
1 large onion, sliced
Pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsp hot water
40 g dried barberries, rinsed
1 tbsp sugar
30 g butter
Salt, pepper, turmeric

Method

Soak the rice for 1 hour; boil in salted water for 6–7 minutes and drain.
Fry the onion in a little butter, add the chicken, turmeric, half the saffron and a cup of water; braise covered for 45 minutes.
Return the rice to the pot, cover with a towel-wrapped lid and steam on low heat for 35–40 minutes.
Briefly cook the barberries in the remaining butter with the sugar for 1–2 minutes; do not let them burn.
Mix some rice with the remaining saffron, then serve the rice topped with barberries alongside the chicken.

How to make it lighter

Use skinless chicken and trim visible fat.
Keep the butter for the barberries only; 1 tbsp butter ≈ 100 kcal.
Fill half the plate with a salad of cucumber, tomato and herbs and keep the rice to about 150 g cooked.

History

Barberries have long been grown in eastern Iran, especially around South Khorasan, and pairing them with saffron rice is a hallmark of Persian festive cooking. The dish is served across Iran and in Persian restaurants abroad.

Count it in one photo

Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Zereshk Polo with Chicken and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.

Download on the App Store

Similar dishes

Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →