Mixed Rice Dishes: How to Make Delicious and Nutritious Dill Rice with Chicken (With Photo)

According to Saednews, Mixed rice dishes hold a special place in Iranian cuisine. From bean rice and cabbage rice to carrot rice, sweet rice, raisin rice, and jeweled rice, these flavorful combinations are popular at gatherings. You can always create a delicious mixed rice dish using chicken, meat, and vegetables.

Today’s recipe is dill rice with chicken—a fragrant and delicious combination of rice, chicken, fresh dill, saffron, and tomato paste. If you are tired of repetitive meals, this nutritious and flavorful dish is a great choice.

Instructions

1. Soak the rice
   Rinse the rice and soak it in lukewarm water with salt for about 3–4 hours.

2. Cook the chicken
   Place chicken breast in a pot with onion, garlic, salt, and turmeric. Add water and cook until tender. Then cut the cooked chicken into large pieces and set aside.

3. Prepare the chicken mixture
   Heat oil in a pan. Add tomato paste and sauté briefly for about 30 seconds. Add the cooked chicken pieces and mix well. Then add chopped dill and a bit of saffron. Turn off the heat.

4. Cook the rice
   Boil and drain the rice. In the pot, add oil, sliced potatoes (for tahdig), and some saffron.

5. Layer the rice
   Add half of the drained rice to the pot, spread the chicken and dill mixture over it, then cover with the remaining rice.

6. Steam the rice
   Drizzle saffron and oil over the top. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for about 45 minutes until fully steamed.

Tips for Perfect Rice

• Soak rice in salted warm water for at least 3 hours (overnight is even better).

• Use well-salted boiling water for parboiling the rice.

• Stir gently while boiling to separate grains without breaking them.

• Rice is ready to drain when it is soft on the outside but still slightly firm in the center.

• Rinsing with cold water after draining helps stop cooking and prevents over-softening.

• Adding a splash of cold water during boiling can help rice grains become longer and fluffier.

Dill rice with chicken is now ready to serve. Enjoy your meal!