Persian-Style Tahdig With Sumac Chicken

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over high heat

Pat your chicken thighs dry and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper

Once hot, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down and cook for 10 min or until the skins have browned and crisped

Once browned, reduce the heat to medium high, sprinkle the chicken with half of your ground sumac, then flip the chicken thighs and cook them for a further 8 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your sumac chicken

Heat a separate large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 min or until softened

Once softened, add half the chopped garlic (you'll use the rest later!) and cook for a further 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your basmati rice to the pan with your saffron, chicken stock mix and a knob of butter and give everything a good mix up

Add 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to the pan, then bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, top the rice with your sultanas, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Trim, then chop your green beans in half

Once the rice is cooked, increase the heat to medium-high and add the chopped green beans to the pan

Cook, covered, for a final 3-4 min or until the rice is slightly crispy on the base of the pan and the green beans are tender with a slight bite – this is your Persian-style tahdig

Tip: don't worry if some has stuck, just scrape it out, the crispy bits are the best bit!

Meanwhile, strip your mint leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems

Tip: Hold the top of the herb sprigs firmly and slide your fingers down their lengths to easily remove the leaves