Usually when I go home dinner it something we come up with at the last minute. Don't get me wrong, it's always tasty, but it's still some sort of creation we make with leftovers. When I went home for spring break though, my mother told me she was going to make my favorite Persian chicken dish - and boy did she deliver...
Why do I love this meal so much? Because it is a) easy b) inexpensive and c) full of flavor
We used to use chicken legs, but my mom has switched over the thighs. A little dark meat never hurt anyone; feel free to use chicken breasts if you want, but it probably won't be as juicy.
Fry off one sliced onion until it is golden.
Sear the thighs in a skillet with turmeric, pepper, salt, and cardamom, cinnamon, and a little cumin. Add the onions and set aside.
Fry the almonds and raisins. Set aside.
Combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1 cup sour cream with a pinch of salt. Taste to be sure the sour cream flavor is more prevalent and add more accordingly if you have to. Set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in a Pyrex dish and pour in about a cup or a half cup of boiling water. This creates a juice for the chicken to cook in. Cover with the sour cream mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 for about 15-20 minutes. The chicken is essentially already cooked, so you just want to give everything time for the flavors to meld together. Take out and put the almonds and raisins over it, along with another fried onion - this time fry it till it is pretty dark.
Serve over rice!!!
*Note: this is the chicken component to a Persian dish called Shirin Polo, or sweet rice. It is traditionally served at happy occasions, like weddings. You serve the chicken alongside rice that you have covered with sweet carrots and more fried almonds (or pistachios) and raisins. To make the carrots, fry about 1 bag of pre-julienned carrots in grapeseed oil. Add salt and 1/4 tsp cardamom and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. And continue frying till the carrots have just a little crunch left. Put this over the rice, then add the nuts and raisins.
