Saffron-Scented Chicken Pilaf

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken pieces in the yogurt, lemon and cinnamon for about an hour.

2. 2

   Soak the saffron threads in the chicken stock.

3. 3

   Over medium heat, in a large pan with a lid, melt the butter along with 1 tablespoon oil and add the rice, stirring it to coat until glossy.

4. 4

   Pour in the saffron and chicken stock, add the cardamom pods, lemon juice and zest and bring the pan to the boil, then clamp on a lid and turn the heat down to very low; a heat diffuser, if youve got one, would be good here.

5. 5

   Cook like this for about 1015 minutes, by which time the rice should have absorbed the liquid and be cooked through.

6. 6

   While the rice is cooking, shake the excess yogurt marinade off the chicken using a sieve.

7. 7

   Then fry the meat in a hot pan with the remaining spoonful or so of oil, and do this in batches so that the chicken colors rather than just pallidly stews to cookedness.

8. 8

   When the rice is cooked, take it off the heat and fork through the pan-bronzed chicken pieces.

9. 9

   Toast all the nuts except the pistachios, by simply shaking them in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they color and begin to give off their waxy scent, and then add them to the pilaf along with the chopped parsley.

10. 10

    Pile everything onto a plate and add a fabulously green sprinkling of slivered or roughly chopped pistachios.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.