Sweet Jeweled Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons butter
salt
2 cups basmati rice
1/3 cup dried sour pitted cherries
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup barberries (can find at some international markets)
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped (or coarse cut orange marmalade, or chutney)
1/2 cup split blanched almond
1/3 cup chopped pistachios

Preparation

saute the chicken in 2 T of butter, turning over and sprinkling with salt till browned but still juicy inside.
Cut each slice into about 6 pieces.
wash the rice in warm water and rinse in colander under the cold tap.
Soak the sour cherries, cranberries and barberries in water for 15 minutes.
Throw the drained rice in plenty of boiling salted water in a large pan and boil for about 10 minutes until partly cooked and still a little firm, then drain.
Heat 2 T butter in bottom of the pan and stir in the saffron.
Spread alternate layers of rice, chicken pieces and the rest of the ingredients, ending with rice and sprinkling lightly with salt.
Add the remaining butter or oil over the top at the end.
Put the lid on and steam on the lowest heat for about 20-30 minutes or until the rice is tender.