Zereshk Polo ba Morgh is a Persian classic made with Zereshk (barberries), Morgh (chicken), and Polo, which is the steamed and fluffy Persian rice. This is one of the mixed rice dishes that you will find at small casual get togethers, as well as larger Persian dinner parties, weddings and most festive celebrations and holidays. Sometimes this dish is served side by side with a type of soup, usually Soup é Morgh é Zaferani, or Soup é Jo and a simple salad.
Zereshk Polo ba Morgh is really a very simple concept in comparison to other Persian khoresh(s). The chicken is the main component of this recipe and it is cooked separately in a tomato saffron sauce, so it is easy to make in large amounts; the same goes for the rice. This is why Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh is a favorite “mehmooni,” or party rice dish in Iran. This festive rice is steamed and layered with a mixture of red zereshk berries and golden fried onions, then garnished with almonds and/or pistachios. .
Besides Zereshk Polo ba Morgh, the menu at a formal Iranian dinner party with a large number of guests may also include a white steamed rice with a lamb/beef khoresh, such as Khoresh Bademjan, or Gheymeh to offer a choice of different rice and meat.
Zershk Polo Ba Morgh and some other dishes such as, Gheymeh, Aash Reshteh, and Sholeh Zard are traditionally cooked in large amounts and shared with others on religious ceremonies as “nazri,” in a gesture of gratitude for fulfillment of a vow.
The tiny ruby red barberries “zereshk” add a tangy flavor to this khoresh and they are grown in the eastern part of Iran, in Khorasan province. There is also another species of zereshk which is less tart and much darker in color, and it’s actually called “zereshk e siah” meaning black barberry, that is grown in Kermanshah province in the western part of Iran.
Some cooks add sugar to the tart zereshk before mixing it with rice, but I prefer to briefly saute them on a very low heat with diced onions that have been fried to golden brown in butter. I layer my steamed rice with this combination that has an almost tangy flavor due to the hint of natural sweetness when onions are fried in butter to a perfect crispy golden brown.
The following pictures are to illustrate certain key steps. Please read the entire printable recipe for the detailed instructions:
Add chicken pieces (bone side down), water, onion halves, salt, pepper, and ground turmeric to a large 12-inch skillet. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat without covering the skillet. Skim off the foam that collects on top. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the skillet and cook for 30 minutes.
Start making the rice at this point; click here for the instructions.
Turn the chicken pieces and cook the other side for an additional 30 minutes. At this point the chicken should be fork tender. Discard the onion halves. Turn the chicken (meaty side up) and sprinkle the optional ground saffron powder on top of each piece.
Use the back of your spoon to rub the saffron powder all over each piece. This simple extra step paints the chicken pieces and gives them a very nice rich color without using too much of the precious saffron. Stir in the mixture of fried onions and tomato paste to the broth and add one tablespoon zereshk (barberries) and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice. I started adding the zereshk to the sauce a few years back and absolutely love the enriched flavor.
Meanwhile make the fried onion and zereshk mixture for the rice: Dice and fry the onion, preferably in butter, until golden brown. Add the barberries and a pinch of saffron, saute over very low heat for a minute or so until the barberries are plumped up. The barberries tend to burn very quickly in high heat!
To serve, use a spatula to transfer 1/3 of the steamed rice to the serving platter, sprinkle 1/3 of the barberry/fried onion, and continue layering in this order, and with the zereshk mixture. Sprinkle some sliced almonds on top for a special presentation with added crunch and flavor.
Serve the chicken in a separate platter and have your guests help themselves to a piece or two over a bed of zereshk polo. Enjoy this delicious and festive Zereshk Polo ba Morgh with a side of Salad Shirazi and/or Sabzi Khordan.
Prep and cooking time: About 2 hours
- FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 8 skinless chicken thighs, or drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1 large onion cut in half
- 3 cups water
- ⅛ tsp ground saffron powder (optional)
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin and fried to golden brown in 2 TBSP vegetable oil (or 3 ounces fried onions)
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 TBSP zereshk (pick through, wash and rinse)
- FOR THE ZERESHK POLO:
- Please see instructions for Aromatic steamed Persian rice and the Tahdig of your choice
- 2 ½ cups uncooked basmati rice
- 1 ½ tsp rice spice, divided
- 1 large onion diced medium and fried to golden brown in 3 TBSP ghee, or butter
- ⅓ cup zereshk, (pick through, wash and rinse)
- Pinch of ground saffron powder, optional
- Optional garnish:
- Sliced almonds and/or pistachios
- In a large 12-inch skillet (with a lid) add the chicken thighs (bone side down), turmeric, salt, pepper, onion halves and 3 cups of cold water. Without covering the skillet, bring it to a boil over medium high so all the foam from cooking the raw chicken rises to the top. Use a slotted spoon to skim off the foam. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the skillet and cook for 30 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces and cook for another 30 minutes on medium low.
- Thirty minutes into cooking the chicken, start making the rice according to the instructions for Aromatic rice.
- In a medium skillet fry the sliced medium onion in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until golden brown. Add the tomato paste and sauté until aromatic. Set aside.
- When the chicken is fork tender, discard the onion halves. Turn the chicken pieces one more time (now the meaty part of the chicken will be up) and sprinkle the optional ground saffron powder on the pieces. Use the back of a spoon to rub the saffron on the surface of each piece. This simple added step adds a very rich color to the chicken pieces.
- Make the tomato sauce in the same skillet by mixing in the prepared fried onion and tomato paste with the broth. Add 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon zereshk to the sauce. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat to medium low, cover the skillet and cook for 15-20 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
- At the end of this cooking time the chicken should easily come apart with a fork. The sauce will be reduced and a glistening oil will rise to the top, or as we say in Farsi, “ja biofteh” which roughly means “to settle.” If there is too much sauce left in the skillet, remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes until it is reduced.
- To make the zereshk/fried onion mix: In the same skillet that you've fried the diced onion, add ⅓ cup barberries and a pinch of optional saffron and saute over low for couple of minutes until the zereshk plumps up. Zereshk burns very quickly so keep the temperature very low.
- For the layered presentation of Zereshk Polo: Use a large spatula to transfer ⅓ of the steamed Aromatic rice to the serving platter, top with ⅓ of the barberry/fried onion mixture and continue layering and finish the top with the remaining zereshk/fried onion. Garnish with sliced almonds and/or pistachios.
- Serve the chicken on a separate platter.
Love this dish at my local Persian restaurant. However I don’t recall the addition of nuts. It always arrives with yellow delicious rice with the most moist chicken thighs. But I can’t wait to make this for my dinner table. 🙂
Hello Shar, yes it is one of my favorites too. The almonds/pistachios make this dish even more festive with some added flavor and crunch. Happy Thanksgiving!
What about the sugar? I thought zereshk needs shekar (sugar) so it doesn’t have that tart flavor . I’m gonna add sugar because I always have
Yum Yum Homa Khanoom, my daughters love this dish, I will try your recipe next time I make it.
Thank you. :-))))
It’s my pleasure Roya jan, I’m very happy to hear that! Thank you for your comment and please let me know how you like it.
What an aromatic, colorful, gorgeous rice dish accompanied by beautifully prepared chicken dish. It is a beloved dish and no one can count on leftovers. 🙂
So true about the leftovers! This has always been one of my favorites.
This recipe turned out amazingly. My husband and I ate until we couldn’t move!
Haha Sarah, so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know 😉
Homa,
I love your recipes & it has really helped me to make Iranian food I love. My story is very similar to yours in that I moved here after high school so despite enjoying the food I didn’t have an opportunity to learn to cook it. Thanks for sharing it.
My pleasure, dear Kia! I know what you mean; there is nothing like craving the food from home with no real Persian food in sight!! I’m very happy to hear that you’re finding my recipes helpful. Please keep me posted with your kitchen adventures. Have a great rest of the week 🙂
Hi Homa,
I’m a new reader from Pittsburgh. I’m very much into Persian food right now and bought rose petals and barberries online so I could make this dish. You would have been proud of this Pennsylvanian grinding up her own Persian rice spice blend. I can’t say I’ve mastered the tahdig, but otherwise it was so tasty! My toddler wolfed down her dinner. Do you need a diffuser to get the bottom of the rice evenly brown or can you make it work on a regular American gas range?
All the pictures and step-by-step instructions are very useful. I use to live in Los Angeles and I just *loved* the Persian food. Now I have to make it myself if I want my khoresh fix! I also ordered sour grapes and dried limes so I can try more of your recipes. Thanks!
Dear Allison, welcome! So happy to meet a Persian food lover here and it is wonderful to hear that you’ve found my instructions helpful. I commend your dedication in finding the spices to make your own rice spice and the other very essential ingredients for Persian cooking 🙂 I do recommend the use of a heat diffuser for gas burners; however the type of the pot is even more important. I use an inexpensive nonstick 5 or 6-qt pot to make my rice. The expensive heavy bottomed pots with tight lids collect too much moisture inside the pot and are not suitable for making a crispy tahdig. Thank you for your comment; please let me know if you have any further questions.
Dear Homa,
I wanted to let you know that not just this , but all of your recipes are absolutely sensational.
I am very grateful to have come across your blog.
I am a newlywed and rely heavily on your shared tips and recipes and they always turn out amazing.
Thank you for taking your time, listing all the details and steps, and adding pictures.
The page layout, content, everything is just beautiful.
Please never stop!
Dear Anita, I thank you for making my day 🙂 It is truly lovely to read your kind message! The goal of my blog has been to provide enough material for my readers to recreate delicious recipes without guesswork, and your comment confirms that I’m on the right track. Please keep in touch and write to me when you make any of my recipes.
I made this dish last week for our guests and followed your technique. The chicken was so delicious and I learned a lot from you. The addition of Zereshk with a little bit of tomato paste was so right on! The rice came out fantastic and everyone loved it. Thank you, dear Homa.
Dear Zoreh, I really appreciate your comment! It’s very nice to hear that you found my instructions helpful and that you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for writing to me and please keep in touch 🙂
Salams,
Even though I was born and raised in India but my ancestors came from Iran . We make Some of the Iranian dishes with an Indian twist lol but this recipe is just perfect. Loved it:)
Can’t wait to try more from your kitchen
Thanks a bunch for making this possible for others. Authentic recipes are hard to get.
Salam Fatima; It’s my pleasure; I’m very glad to read that you’ve enjoyed my zereshk polo! Please write me back and tell me all about your kitchen adventures when you try my other recipes.
This recipe turned out to be perfect! Thank you for giving such detailed steps. The only one I somehow missed is sauteeing the onion with the barberries. I thought the sauteed onion with tomato paste should go in the main pot with the chicken. So, I ended up preparing the barberries without the onions. Next time, I’ll definitely sautee an additional onion before adding the barberries. Thank you for sharing – it turned out just like my Persian family does it. They make it without the tomato paste, but it seems that the taste doesn’t change. Definitely going to make this again.
So glad to hear from you dear Oxana! It’s always wonderful to read messages of successful kitchen trials from my readers. I really appreciate your support; I hope you will find more of your favorite recipes on my blog; please keep in touch 🙂
I would love to make this dish for company but wonder if I can make the chicken a day ahead and then reheat. I will make the rice the day of. This way I can enjoy my out-of-town guests on the day they are coming to dinner. Thank you!
Hi Wendy
The chicken may be cooked and reheated the next day, which is what we always do for the leftovers; but please keep in mind that it usually tastes the best on the first day that it’s cooked.
Salaam and G’Day from Australia! I followed your recipe exactly for both the morgh and the polow for my Persian husband and it was a hit! Let me tell you, he is one picky man but your recipe reminded him of home. Thank you very much for taking the time to write such detailed instructions – its impossible to fail if followed exactly. I will be checking out more of your recipes for sure.
Hello dear Natalee and beautiful Australia! It is really nice to hear that this was to your Persian hubby’s liking. I’m thrilled; “reminded him of home” is what I aim for when I develop my recipes! I always ask my readers to follow my recipes exactly, the first time around, and you did it! I thank you for that 😉 I’m looking forward to ready more of your feedback when you try my other recipes. Have a great weekend and please keep in touch 🙂
Dear Homa – thanks for the detailed recipes and the links to the rice spice too! I ordered the barberries from Amazon and they will arrive in time for our Christmas dinner. We are excited to host a Persian exchange student for the 3 week holiday (she attends the same school as my daughter) and we’re forgoing the traditional American turkey and ham in favor of your Zereshk Polo ba Morgh, hoping to surprise Minou with a taste of home. I have never cooked a Persian meal before, but will follow your recipe to the letter – thanks for sharing so generously.
Dearest Sandra; this comment just warms up my heart! How wonderful of you to welcome someone that is far away from home. I know Minou will appreciate everything that you’re doing to make the holidays special for her. I have a feeling she will love this recipe! I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and a New Year that matches your kindness. Much love to all of you 🙂
Hi Homa,
Thank you for your amazing content.
What are your thoughts on adding sugar to minimize tart flavor from the barberries? If so how much sugar?
Thanks!
Hi Setti, glad you’re enjoying my blog. I never add sugar to the barberries, and instead toss them with caramelized onions that have a hint of sweetness. If you wish to add sugar don’t add more than a scant amount, for example 1/4 teaspoon for a handful of zereshk.
It’s our favorite . The sauce is to die for . Another great recipe I make on repeat . Thank you .
Dear Naz, that is wonderful! So glad you’re enjoying my recipes and you’re most welcome! Thanks for writing to me. I Love reading your comments 🙂
Reaaaalllly Goooood .
Dear Homa,
Thank you so much for posting such detailed, delicious recipes. Both of my parents are Persian, and making these dishes has been a taste of home as I learn how to cook on my own. All of my housemates crowd around the kitchen to watch when we attempt one of your recipes, and we can’t help but eat some even before it makes it to the table! Your blog has become the absolute guidebook to Persian cooking in our home 🙂 Every time I finish one of your recipes, I send photos to my family!
Dearest Ariana, it is a delight to read your comment! It makes me very happy to know that you and your housemates are enjoying my recipes. It’s wonderful that you’ve decided to teach yourself how to cook Persian food instead of just missing it 😉 Much love to all of you! Take care and keep in touch.
This has become a favorite in our house! Thank you Homa for making me a persian kitchen goddess ❤. Please keep adding more recipes to your blog.
Hi Christina, I’m thrilled to hear that you are having fun in the kitchen with my recipes 🙂 I am working on a project and will post more recipes once I am finished. Please share comments when you make more of my recipes! Take care and stay well.
Thank you so much Dear Homa for your delicious and aromatic recipes!! My husband and I have tried this recipe plus your Khoreshte Gheymeh, fesenjoon, kashke bademjan and kotlet and absolutely love love love each and every one of them. Our plan is to make one of your recipes weekly and try your desserts too!
Hi Bonnie, it is wonderful to meet you here! I’m truly glad to hear that you have been a loyal follower of my blog. I would love to read the feedback on the recipes that you try. This simply helps and motivates everyone else to try different recipes. Thanks for writing to me, take care and keep in touch 🙂
Thank you for doing such an amazing job to save the authentic Persian recipes. I shared this post to show some of my friends how to make zereshk polo.
Dear Mahboubeh, it is very nice to read your comment. I’m so glad you like this recipe and it is very kind of you to share it with your friends. Would you kindly ask them to share a comment when they cook this or any of my recipes. Thanks again for writing to me. Please take care of yourself and keep in touch 🙂
If you can’t find zereshk, I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for myself for not learning about it the first 27 years of my life. 🙂 I am making this now, and it smells delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Dear Dan, I’m also happy that you have discovered these mighty berries. This has always been a very popular dish in my family, so glad you are pleased.
Take care and keep cooking 🙂
I made this last night, and it was absolutely delicious and the chicken was so tender. My husband was so happy and doing a dance while he ate and praising my cooking. Thank you so much Homa. This is my favorite persian dish and I’m so happy that I now know how to make it myself. I do like adding extra lemon juice since my husband loves the extra sour flavor with the delicious berries!!! Thanks again!
Hi Amanda, it is my pleasure, that is really good to hear! I have a few lemon juice fans in my family too 😉 Thanks so much for writing to me. Please take care and keep in touch
Homa,
I made this tonight with organic chicken from the farmers market and it was delightful! Made the rice with a potato tahdig. Thank you for the recipe. Greetings from Berlin, Anita
Greetings Anita! Thanks so much for writing to me. The chicken must have been exceptionally delicious! I’m really happy that you have liked this recipe. You will find many amazing recipes on this blog and I hope you give them a try and share your experience. Please take care and keep in touch.
Made this today. Another BRILLIANT recipe. My husband says it’s the best zirishk polou I’ve ever made! All thanks to you Homa 🙂
Hi GG, that makes me very happy! Enjoy it in good health. Much love to you and your hubby 🙂