For anyone who has lukewarm feelings for turkey, here's a menu that is centered around tahchin, a saffron-scented chicken-and-rice dish, and served with a variety of vegetables—think: golden mushrooms with creamy labneh, sheet-pan crispy kale and squash, and saffron-infused skillet potatoes.
Plus, three excellent, speedy sides—like lemon-saffron skillet potatoes—to go with. While I love the spirit of Thanksgiving—gathering around the table, drinking and eating all day with loved ones—I have to admit that I’m not a roast turkey fan. If you’re thinking that it’s because I haven’t had a …
Author Notes This twist on tahchin, a Persian dish of a baked rice, chicken, and yogurt colored by saffron, has a crunchy tahdig at the bottom, which is arguably the best part about it. Here, the chicken briefly marinates in a seasoned yogurt before cooking in the pan alongside onions that become …
Author Notes The kale here becomes very crunchy and charred, almost like toasted and crumbled nori, and nicely contrasts the soft texture of the squash, with the red pepper flakes and crumbled feta adding a spicy and salty balance to its sweetness. You could also serve this with cooked farro or …
Author Notes These warm, crispy mushrooms are served on top of creamy labneh and best enjoyed with a carb vehicle of your choice to scoop everything up. (And don't worry if you don't have or like labneh—you could also use a thick-style yogurt such as Greek or Skyr). When you add the mushrooms to the …
Author Notes These stovetop potatoes are first browned in the pan, then finished cooking with a lemon-saffron water and black peppercorns to give it a rich and spicy flavor. The braising liquid reduces down to a thick consistency that coats and infuses the potatoes, also giving them a bright, …
