Persian Crispy Rice Cups | Tahchin Bites (2024)

Published: April 23, 2021 Last Modified: June 10, 2022

This recipe is for a clever easy to serve, easy-to-eat, bite-sized version of Tachin Persian Chicken and Rice Casserole. We are calling this updated version Persian Crispy Rice Cups, or Tahchin Bites. Tahchin is Persian food at its finest, combining royal long-grain rice with aromatic turmeric and saffron. Today we are making tahchin morgh, “morgh” meaning chicken in Farsi. It is optionally topped with candied, dried barberries (known as zereshk in Farsi) giving it a unique sweet and sour twist. Tahchin is easily one of our family favorites as well as an easy go-to weeknight recipe. In Persian cuisine, the crispy bottom of the pot is a delicacy. In Farsi, we call this crispy rice tahdigh. Everyone loves tahdigh but it always goes quickly and can be a challenge to share. With Persian Crispy rice cups everyone gets a personal-sized portion of their very own tahdig every time!

The ingredients are the same as in the traditional tahchin recipes. The process is very similar with just a slight variation in the layering technique. We use a muffin tin for handy, individual-sized servings. The oven temperature is similar however the baking time is shorter using muffin tins.

This is a great dish to make to take to an outdoor gathering, picnic or potluck. It’s easy to pre-cook the main ingredients to then mix and layer on the day of the event. The baked tahchin crispy rice cakes or cups travel well.

: pack a thin layer of parboiled saffron infused rice down first

: top with yogurt/chicken/rice mixture

: fill to the top of the muffin cups

Although in the steps of this recipe we cook parboiled rice and chicken from scratch, one of the things I love most about tahchin is that it is very easy and forgiving. I often make this dish using up leftover plain rice and chicken and think of it as a tasty chicken and rice casserole. If you are new to cooking Persian cuisine, I recommend you start with this simple recipe that pleases almost every palate. In my mind, there’s nothing simpler and easier to digest than chicken, rice and yogurt.

Process steps

Start with makingparboiled rice (about 1 full cup of dry rice yields about 3 cooks of cooked rice) using 2 teaspoons of the salt
Pre-cook 2 boneless chicken breasts using 1 teaspoon of the salt; cut into small pieces
*Bloom saffron (see recipe notes) and add to a bowl with eggs, yogurt, and spices
Soak dried barberries (zereshk) in equal parts boiling water to soften and rehydrate them – this takes about 10 minutes; then drain any remaining water from the berries
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Generously oil a good non-stick muffin or cupcake baking pan
Add enough dissolved saffron to evenly color 1 cup of the parboiled rice (we use both bloomed saffron and spray saffron for good color and even consistency of aroma and color) gently stir until the rice is yellow
Spoon out the yellow, saffron-infused plain rice to the bottom of each muffin cup in the baking pan in a thin even layer; press it down with the back of the spoon to firmly pack the rice layer down (about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in thickness)
Stir the egg yolks with a fork for about 10 to 20 seconds; add the yogurt, remaining bloomed saffron liquid, and spices and stir to combine
Add the remaining 2 cups of parboiled rice into the yogurt/egg mixture
Stir the chicken into the rice and yogurt mixture
Spoon in the chicken/rice/yogurt mixture into each muffin tin cup, filling to the tops of the cups – press down if necessary
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the edges are crispy and browned (check on the results during the last 10 minutes to avoid the edges from burning and see recipe notes)
Allow to cool slightly, then invert the pan on a large platter or cutting board
Transfer the baked tahchin cups to a serving dish
Drain the water from the soaked dried barberries (zereshk)
Sauté the barberries (zereshk) in butter and sugar just until soft and glistening (about 2 minutes)
Garnish the tops of the tahchin Persian crispy rice cups with the candied barberries (zereshk)

Scroll to the bottom to see our recipe notes for easy cooking tips as well as notes on how to best invert and flip out the mini tahchin cakes.

Once the tachin cups or cakes have been removed from the muffin or cupcake tin, the garnish and food art options are endless. Use candied barberries (zereshk in Farsi) to add a pop of color as well as a welcome sweetly tart taste to make this a unique appetizer.

Other spellings for Persian dishes:

Tachin (also spelled tahchin, tacheen, and tahcheen)
Tahdigh (also spelled tadig, tadigh, tahdeeg, tadeeg, tadeegh, tahdeegh, tahdigh)

Yield: 4

Ingredients

3 cups of parboiled rice (about 1 cups uncooked rice)
3 eggs, yolks only
2 cups plain, non-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 3-4 tablespoons of hot water or 1 teaspoon of concentrated pure saffron spray
2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon of turmeric
3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper (about 4 turns of a pepper mill)
2 to 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 cups of cooked chicken or turkey)
Spray cooking oil (liberal amounts)
1/4 cup of dried barberries (zereshk in Farsi)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water (for blooming saffron and for rehydrating zereshk/dried barberries)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons salt (1 teaspoon for the chicken, 2 teaspoons for the rice, 1/2 teaspoon for the yogurt/egg mixture)

Instructions

Start with makingparboiled rice (about 1 full cup of dry rice yields about 3 cooks of cooked rice) using 2 teaspoons of the salt
Pre-cook 2 boneless chicken breasts using 1 teaspoon of the salt; cut into small pieces
*Bloom saffron (see recipe notes) and add to a bowl with eggs, yogurt, and spices
Soak dried barberries (zereshk) in equal parts boiling water to soften and rehydrate them - this takes about 10 minutes; then drain any remaining water from the berries
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Generously oil a good non-stick muffin or cupcake baking pan
Add enough dissolved saffron to evenly color 1 cup of the parboiled rice (we use both bloomed saffron and spray saffron for good color and even consistency of aroma and color) gently stir until the rice is yellow
Spoon out the yellow, saffron-infused plain rice to the bottom of each muffin cup in the baking pan in a thin even layer; press it down with the back of the spoon to firmly pack the rice layer down (about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in thickness)
Stir the egg yolks with a fork for about 10 to 20 seconds; add the yogurt, remaining bloomed saffron liquid, and spices and stir to combine
Add the remaining 2 cups of parboiled rice into the yogurt/egg mixture
Stir the chicken into the rice and yogurt mixture
Spoon in the chicken/rice/yogurt mixture into each muffin tin cup, filling to the tops of the cups - press down if necessary
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the edges are crispy and browned (check on the results during the last 10 minutes to avoid the edges from burning and see recipe notes)
Allow to cool slightly, then invert the pan on a large platter or cutting board
Transfer the baked tahchin cups to a serving dish
Drain the water from the soaked dried barberries (zereshk)
Sauté the barberries (zereshk) in butter and sugar just until soft and glistening (about 2 minutes)
Garnish the tops of the tahchin Persian crispy rice cups with the candied barberries (zereshk)

Notes

*How to blook saffron -

Grind 1/2 teaspoon of good saffron threads to a fine powder (use a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon against a hard bowl). Dissolve the saffron powder in 2 tablespoons of boiling water - allow the saffron to dissolve and bloom - this takes a minimum of 10 to 20 minutes to draw out the aroma and color of the saffron into the water.

Tips for flipping and turning out the tahchin cakes-

There is nothing more disappointing than turning out a pot of muffin tin only to find that all your hard work is crumbling.

The best tip I can give is to use a fresh and new, non=stick muffin pan. Even with a good, new non-stick muffin tin, I spray liberal amounts of cooking oil inside the muffin cups before layering in the rice and tahchin mixture. It is necessary to cook this dish to a slight burn. With these tips in mind, the end product will flip out nicely without sticking.

To avoid burning check on the edges during the last 10 minutes of cook time. If the edges aren't browning to your liking, cover the tops of the tin with tin foil and increase heat or switch oven seating to convection for a hotter oven. Continue to check edges every few minutes until the desired crispiness and color are achieved.

Persian Crispy Rice Cups | Tahchin Bites (2024)

Process steps

Other spellings for Persian dishes:

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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