Description
Quick and easy, classic Persian saffron chicken kebabs (joojeh kabob) is marinated in a simple saffron and lemon marinade for that classic Iranian flavour.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.), boneless and skinless, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 2 small onions (about 1.5 cup), chopped
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon saffron powder
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Add chicken into a zip-loc bag. Add onions, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice salt and saffron powder. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Press the marinade around the chicken to coat. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Skewer the chicken. Thread the chicken onto skewers, about 4-5 pieces per skewer.
- Grill the skewers. Lightly brush olive oil over grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 5 minutes. You will notice the oil shimmer and sizzle when it's hot and ready. Place the skewers evenly apart on the grill pan and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.
- Serve. Transfer the skewers onto a plate and serve with basmati rice with saffron, grilled tomatoes, and Shirazi salad (tomato and cucumber salad).
Notes
Equipment used: skewers, tongs for grilling, an indoor grill pan, and a digital meat thermometer.
Use a digital thermometer. A digital meat thermometer is very useful when grilling skewers for checking doneness. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick reading so that you never end up with undercooked or overcooked meat.
How to cook in the oven. To cook the Persian kebabs in the oven, place them on a baking tray and roast at 480 F for 12-13 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F. You can add some charring by then placing under the broiler on high for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on them, because they can burn quickly.
How to cook in the air fryer. You can cook saffron chicken in the air fryer as well. Do not thread them and place about 10 cubed chicken pieces in the air fryer basket at a time. Cook at 350 F for 25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. You won't get the charred grill marks but they taste amazing and so tender.
How to serve joojeh kabob. Serve joojeh kabob with a serving of basmati rice with saffron, grilled tomatoes, and fresh Shirazi salad with cucumber and tomato on the side. You can also serve them wrapped in pita bread with tomato and cucumber.
How to store. Unthread the saffron chicken from the skewers and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (+1 hour to marinate)
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Persian