Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: About 90 minutes

Delicious and unusual… the combination of sweet and savoury makes for a unique gastronomic experience.
Keep the cooking liquid from the chicken as the base for a soup.
You could also use leftover cooked chicken in this recipe.

1. place the orange zest in a small saucepan; cover with water;
2. bring to a boil; remove from the heat, refresh under cold water and drain;
3. place the butter in a saucepan with the carrots and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender;
4. add the orange zest, almonds, sugar and saffron to the carrots; cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes;
5. add the pistachios and cook 5 minutes longer;
6. meanwhile, in a hot skillet, brown the chicken on both sides in oil; remove the chicken and set aside; pour off the fat and return the chicken to the pan;
7. season the chicken with salt; arrange the onions on top; pour the water over and bring to a boil over high heat; cover; reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender;
8. bone the chicken if necessary;
9. while the chicken is cooking, cook the rice according to the traditional Iranian method;
10. preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F);
11. butter a large rectangular dish; layer in half of the rice; add half the chicken; cover with half the garnish (almonds, carrots, etc.);
    repeat the layering, cover well and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.