saffron chicken

Khoresh-e Morgh - Persian Saffron Chicken

chicken legs

water (700 milliliters)

onion

tomato paste

vegetable oil

turmeric

tsp black pepper

saffron

salt

Skin off the chicken legs if they aren’t already. Heat a large frying pan and add the vegetable oil to it. Once the oil is hot, put in the chicken legs. Be careful not to burn yourself. Fry them from both sides until they are golden brown. This is just to brown them on the outside and seal the juiciness inside. They will have plenty of time to cook through later.

Boil the water in a kettle and transfer it to the pan you want to cook the chicken in. Add the tomato paste, saffron, turmeric, black pepper, and salt to the water and stir until everything is combined.

Peel the onion. Leave it whole and place it in the pan with the water – spice mixture. Submerge the chicken legs in the mixture. They won’t be fully covered but that’s ok, because you will turn them later. 

Put on the lid and let the chicken simmer over low heat. After 30 minutes turn the chicken legs around to make sure they cook evenly and absorb the spices and colour from both sides. Depending on how “saucy” you like your chicken, you can add more hot water now. Put the lid back on and let it simmer for another 30 minutes.

Carefully apply pressure to one of the chicken legs with a cooking spoon. If they feel soft, they’re ready. Taste the sauce and add more black pepper and salt, if you like.

Serve with aromatic rice like Kateh style, Aabkesh style, or treat your eyes and tastebuds to some beautiful Morasa Polo.

If you like the distinctive flavor of saffron, this Saffron Chicken with Parsley and Lemon is a traditional way to use it.

Saffron Chicken with Parsley and Lemon

boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see notes)

yellow onions

olive oil

T butter

saffron (about 1/2 tsp.

chicken broth (see notes)

T fresh-squeezed lemon juice (see notes)

parsley

Trim the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)...

Trim the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) to remove fat and undesirable parts. Cut thighs in half (or cut breasts into several pieces, depending on how big they are.)

Peel onions and slice into slivers. Chop up...

Peel onions and slice into slivers. Chop up the parsley

Use a heavy frying pan which has a...

Use a heavy frying pan which has a tight-fitting lid.  Heat the olive oil and butter, then brown the chicken quickly over medium-high heat.  (Don’t let it cook too long at this point; the chicken does not need to be cooked through.

Remove chicken to a plate, add onions to...

Remove chicken to a plate, add onions to the pan (with a bit more olive oil and butter if needed), and brown onions over medium heat until edges of onions are turning golden, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove browned onions to another plate.

Heat the chicken stock (I did it in...

Heat the chicken stock (I did it in the microwave) until it’s very warm, then stir in the saffron.

Put the chicken back into the pan, arrange...

Put the chicken back into the pan, arrange the onions over the chicken, and pour the saffron-infused chicken stock over.

Cover the pan and cook over a very...

Cover the pan and cook over a very low simmer for about 15-20 minutes without turning the chicken

Add chopped parsley, lemon juice, and a tiny...

Add chopped parsley, lemon juice, and a tiny bit of additional water if needed, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes more.

Serve hot.

Persian Chicken (Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh)

yellow onion, chopped

garlic,

cinnamon

nutmeg

cardamom

cumin

coriander

chili powder

chicken stock

of the saffron water (see below)

salt and pepper

ice cube

basamati rice (dry)

Half of the reserved saffron water

barberries (you can buy them here)

butter

sugar

cucumber

tomatoes

red onion

lemon

Salt and pepper

In this saffron chicken recipe, bone-in chicken legs are gently braised in a light, aromatic broth infused with fragrant saffron and sweet caramelized onions. Topped with fresh herbs, it’s a simple yet elegant dish perfect for any day of the week.

Braised Saffron Chicken Legs (One Pot)

saffron strands

ice cubes

bone-in skin-on chicken legs (1.5 kg)

black pepper

garlic (finely chopped)

ginger

water

Start by blooming the saffron. Grind the saffron into a fine powder using a mortal and pestle. Add in 2 cubes of ice and allow the ice to melt while preparing the rest of the dish.

Sprinkle the chicken legs with the salt and pepper, rubbing into the chicken to season them well.

In a large braising pot or sauté pan with high sides and a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, remove and set aside. Lower the heat to medium.

Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions and sauté. Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes until deeply golden brown. Add in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minutes until fragrant. Season with the ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cardamom and ground coriander. Allow the spices to cook for 30 seconds before pouring in the water, then the bloomed saffron water. Nestle the seared chicken legs into the pot. Allow the pot to come to a simmer before lowering the heat to low and cooking for 30 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is fall off the bone tender.

Uncover and raise the heat to high to reduce and thicken the sauce if desired. Serve the chicken with the pan juices over fluffy basmati rice.

Made this tonight and it was a big hit with my husband and 10 year old. Thank you! One thing I couldn’t figure out though was the lemon in the photograph of the ingredients. I couldn’t see a mention of lemon in the recipe. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes in the future. 

My 3 &amp; 5 year olds raved about this chicken! I poured the sauce over couscous and mixed so it was absorbed. I may lower the amount of water next time as I had sauce left over although I don’t want to alter the overall flavor. 

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