El plato de arroz real de Azerbaiyán: basmati fragrante de azafrán horneado en una costra de lavash dorada, estratificado con pollo, fruta seca y castañas.
Şah plov, or 'king's plov,' is the most elaborate of Azerbaijan's many plov variations, historically reserved for royalty and important guests. Unlike simpler pilafs, this version wraps the entire dish — rice, saffron-infused butter, tender chicken, and a sweet-savory mix of dried apricots, raisins, and chestnuts — inside a thin sheet of lavash bread before baking, so the finished dish emerges as a golden dome that's cut open tableside to reveal its layers, releasing a burst of saffron-scented steam. The rice itself is parboiled separately, then layered with the lavash lining before the final steam-bake finishes the cooking, a technique similar in spirit to Persian and Central Asian polow but distinctly Azerbaijani in its combination of chestnuts and dried fruit with saffron. Getting şah plov right requires real technique: the rice must be parboiled to just the right doneness so it finishes perfectly during the final bake without turning mushy, and the lavash crust must be thin enough to become delicately crisp on the outside while staying tender enough to cut without shattering. The result, when done well, is a dish of genuine ceremony — sweet dried fruit against savory saffron rice and tender chicken, wrapped in a bread crust that's torn apart and shared at the table, historically served at Azerbaijani weddings and the most important family celebrations.
Sirve 8
Season chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt. Heat oil in a skillet and brown chicken on both sides, then add a cup of water, cover, and simmer 25 minutes until cooked through and tender. Shred or chop into large pieces.
In a separate pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and sauté onion until soft. Add apricots, raisins, chestnuts, and cinnamon, and cook gently for 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly caramelized.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with remaining salt. Add soaked rice and boil 6-7 minutes until about 70% cooked. Drain well.
Brush a heavy pot generously with melted butter. Lay the lavash sheets across the bottom and up the sides, overlapping so there are no gaps, with enough overhang to fold over the top later.
Spread a third of the rice over the lavash. Add half the chicken and half the fruit mixture. Repeat layering, finishing with a final layer of rice on top. Drizzle saffron water and remaining melted butter evenly over the top.
Fold the overhanging lavash over the top of the rice to fully enclose it, patching any gaps with an extra piece of lavash if needed.
Cover the pot tightly with a lid (wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel to help seal in steam) and cook over very low heat for 35-40 minutes, or transfer to a 160°C oven for the same time.
Invert the pot carefully onto a large platter so the golden lavash crust forms the outer shell, or simply lift the crust off and serve rice and lavash on the side. Cut open at the table.
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Steep the saffron in hot (not boiling) water for at least 10 minutes before using — this coaxes out its full color and aroma far better than adding the dry threads directly to the rice.
Par-boil the rice to exactly about 70% doneness; it finishes cooking during the steam-bake, and starting too soft leads to mushy plov.
Use a heavy, thick-bottomed pot to prevent the lavash crust from scorching on the bottom before the rice inside is fully cooked.
Jarred, vacuum-packed, or frozen peeled chestnuts save considerable time over roasting and peeling fresh ones, with minimal difference in the final dish.
Simpler everyday plov (adi plov) skips the lavash wrapping entirely and is simply saffron rice with meat and dried fruit served in a bowl.
Lamb can replace chicken for a richer, more traditional wedding-style version.
A meatless version for fasting periods uses only dried fruit, chestnuts, and saffron rice.
Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; the lavash crust softens on storage but the rice reheats well covered with a splash of water in the microwave or a low oven.
Plov has deep roots across the Caucasus and Central Asia, and Azerbaijan alone has documented dozens of regional plov variations; şah plov specifically is associated with royal and aristocratic kitchens historically, its elaborate lavash-wrapped presentation and costly ingredients like saffron and chestnuts marking it as a dish for the most important occasions rather than everyday cooking.
Vacuum-packed or jarred cooked chestnuts, widely available around the winter holidays and often year-round at specialty grocers, work perfectly well and save significant prep time over roasting and peeling fresh ones.
This usually means too much liquid was in the rice layers when wrapped, or the heat during baking was too low — make sure the par-boiled rice is well drained and use a hot enough oven or stovetop heat to properly crisp the crust.
Yes — many households make an everyday version that simply layers the same saffron rice, chicken, and dried fruit in a pot without the bread crust; it's less ceremonial but just as flavorful.
It has a distinct sweet-savory balance from the dried apricots, raisins, and chestnuts against the savory chicken and rice, but it isn't a dessert-level sweet dish — the saffron and salt keep it firmly in savory territory.
Por porción (400g) · 8 porciones totales
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