Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl

Name: Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 3 cups basmati rice; 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 tomato tomato, diced; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp fresh mint, torn; 1/2 tsp sumac; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 lemon fresh lemon

Crunchy tahdig rice layered with yogurt, tender chicken, and fresh herbs. A modern Persian favorite inspired by trending rice bowls that balance crispy textures with cool toppings.

70 minMediumServes 4520 cal/serving

PersianDinnerStovetop and OvenStandard

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tomato tomato, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, torn
1/2 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lemon fresh lemon

Instructions

1

Rinse 3 cups basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear. Cook in boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain well.
2

While rice cooks, season 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast with half the 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove, let cool slightly, then slice.
4

In the same pot used for the rice, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Layer half the drained 3 cups basmati rice on the bottom, then add all the cooked chicken. Top with remaining rice.
5

Cover the pot tightly with a kitchen towel and lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until a golden rice crust forms on the bottom.
6

Invert the tahdig rice bowl onto a serving platter to reveal the crispy layer.
7

Divide among bowls. Top each with a dollop of 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, fresh 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber, 1 tomato diced tomato, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, and 2 tbsp torn fresh mint.
8

Drizzle with 1 lemon fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sumac. Serve immediately.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

Questions

What internal temperature should Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl reach?

For Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl, the target internal temperature is 165 F (about 75 C), given in step 3. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Do I need to rinse the grain for Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl?

Step 1 reads: "Rinse 3 cups basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear." Yes. Step 1 washes off what coats the grain: surface starch on rice, which makes it clump and turn gummy, or the bitter natural coating on quinoa. Rinse until the water runs mostly clear.

What can I use instead of sumac in Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl?

The entry for Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl calls for 1/2 tsp sumac. In its place: Lemon zest with a pinch of salt gives the same bright sourness. Add it at the end, as you would the sumac.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts in Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl?

Yes. Boneless thighs at the same weight are more forgiving and stay juicier. Give them two to four minutes longer; they are at their best around 175 F rather than 165 F. As written, the entry for Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl uses 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast.

How many calories are in Tahdig Crispy Rice Bowl?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 520 calories, with 32 g protein, 62 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 680 mg sodium.

Serve it with

Tahdig side
Shirazi Salad salad
Saffron Chai drink

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.