Name: Mung Bean Rice with Chicken and Tahdig
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 4 People
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 1 cup Mung beans; 2 cups Rice (Basmati or long-grain); 4 Chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks); 3 tbsp Cooking oil; 3 medium, sliced Onions; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Black pepper; 1 tsp Turmeric; 1/4 tsp Cinnamon; 1/4 cup Brewed saffron; 2 cups Water; 3 pieces Lavash bread; 1 Lemon

Ready in

140 mins

Cuisine

Persian

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

120 min

Serving

4 People

Calories / Serving

~600 kcal

Recipe by COOKING PRO PLUS on YouTube

Recipe Summary

This recipe guides you through preparing a delicious Persian-style meal featuring tender chicken pieces cooked with aromatic spices and onions. It's served with fluffy mung bean rice and a crispy bread tahdig, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Adjust servings

Tap an ingredient to mark it ready0 of 13 ready

All Ingredients - Main Ingredients

Mung beans 1 cup
Rice (Basmati or long-grain) 2 cups
Chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) 4
Cooking oil 3 tbsp
Onions 3 medium, sliced
Salt 1 tsp
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Turmeric 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1/4 tsp
Brewed saffron 1/4 cup
Water 2 cups
Lavash bread 3 pieces
Lemon 1

Tools You'll Need

Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps

No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Saffron?
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (color only, no flavor match)
- 1/2 tsp safflower threads

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Mung Beans

Pour 1 cup of mung beans into water and cook for about two hours until tender.

Step 2: Prepare Rice

At the same time, cook two cups of rice in boiling water until it becomes slightly tender (parboiled).

Step 3: Fry Chicken

Heat some oil in a pot. Add the chicken pieces and fry them until they are nicely golden brown on all sides.

Step 4: Slice Onions

Slice 2-3 medium onions into thin strips.

Step 5: Layer Onions and Chicken

In a separate pot, spread half of the sliced onions at the bottom. Place the fried chicken pieces on top of the onions.

Step 6: Season Chicken

Pour the remaining sliced onions over the chicken. Add salt, black pepper, turmeric, and a touch of cinnamon. Drizzle a bit of brewed saffron over the chicken and onions.

Step 7: Simmer Chicken

Add two cups of water to the pot. Cover and let everything simmer on low heat until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about .

Step 8: Combine Rice and Mung Beans

Once the rice is parboiled, add the cooked mung beans to the rice in the same pot. Immediately drain the rice and mung beans mixture.

Step 9: Prepare Tahdig

In a clean pot, add a little oil. Arrange pieces of lavash bread (or similar flatbread) at the bottom to create a crispy tahdig layer.

Step 10: Steam Rice

Carefully pour the drained rice and mung beans mixture over the tahdig layer in the pot. Cover the pot and let it steam on low heat until the rice is perfectly cooked and fluffy, about .

Step 11: Finish Chicken

Once the chicken is fully cooked, squeeze the juice of one lemon over it for extra flavor.

Step 12: Serve

Serve the mung bean rice with the chicken, onions, and crispy tahdig. Enjoy your meal!

Pro Tips

• Ensure the mung beans are tender but not mushy.

• Adjust spices to your preference.

• For a crispier tahdig, ensure the oil is hot before adding the bread and cook on medium-low heat.

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