That’s not a kabob – THIS IS A KABOB!!!
I didn’t want to leave you hanging with that last saffron cherry rice dish (albaloo polo). I know you were like: What do we serve with it lady?!?
Our fav is saffron chicken kabobs. As Layla’s Mama Bozorg (Grandma) always says, “you can never have enough saffron!” Whether cooking thigh meat or breast over a charcoal barbecue (preferably), jujeh kabobs are a staple in Persian cooking.
What makes jujeh kabobs so special and so incredibly delicious? The magical vibrant look and taste of saffron for one, but also the simple onion marinade and the onion juice that is brushed over towards the end of cooking. And there’s just something extra macho-feeling about cooking two-foot long kabobs!
Persians like variety. In our family, we rarely serve just one type of kabob. Normally we’ll serve koubideh alongside our jujeh kabobs. And there’s a reason for this. Koubideh kabob is made of ground beef, sometimes mixed with lamb too, and grated onion that has been wrung out in cheesecloth to remove the juice. The juice from the onion can be used for the chicken kabobs and the pulp for the beef kabobs. Making koubideh is an art form in itself and I’ll tackle that mountain soon – it’s not easy to get the meat onto the actual stakes correctly.
There are two types of jujeh kabob recipes. One is with yogurt (which is the way my Mother-in-Law makes them) or without yogurt which is how we make them at Faz’s restaurants. In the yogurt version the saffron is mixed in with the yogurt marinade, in the Faz version, saffron-onion juice is brushed over the kabob while cooking and not added to the marinade. I will put both versions down below for you to choose from. They are both delicious, I really don’t have a preference. The yogurt marinade does make the chicken a little more tender.
Saffron. Yeah, that little plastic jar that contains 3 threads is cute. That’s not going to cut it Persian cooking. Do not buy your saffron from a normal super market. It’s a rip off. Go online or go to a Persian or Middle Eastern market for saffron. They will sell it in a big package so you can use it properly. The best way to make use of it, is to grind it all up in a burr grinder and keep it in an air tight container.
Here’s a funny little trick on how to “bloom” saffron before mixing it into marinades or adding it to rice that my Mother-in-Law uses: sprinkle the saffron over ice cubes and let it melt to room temperature. Don’t use hot water. The reason? You don’t want to dilute the flavor or aroma or “cook” it twice. It also preserves the beautiful orange-yellow color.
What to serve with Saffron Chicken Kabobs? Saffron rice of course! Or Saffron Sour Cherry rice. We normally pair them with grilled Tomatoes, Shirazi salad and I could never eat kabobs without mast-o-khiar which is a lebneh cucumber dip.
Ingredients
- 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into large two-inch chunks
- Yogurt Marinade
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron, bloomed
- OR
- Onion juice marinade
- 1 medium onion, grated, juice squeezed out using cheesecloth
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup olive oil, or enough to coat chicken lightly
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Cut chicken breasts into 2-inch cubes, attempting to keep them around the same size so that they cook at the same speed on the grill.
For the Mother-in-Law yogurt marinade:
Mix all wet ingredients together in a large bowl and then add cubed chicken. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 8. With a yogurt marinade it's probably not a great idea to marinade over night because the lactic acid will break down the chicken protein. But, the closer to 6-8 hours the better in order to maximize flavor. Thread chunks onto Persian kabob stakes when ready to grill and reserve on a sheet tray to make transportation to the grill easier. Season again with a little sea salt and cook over a medium-hot grill turning kabobs only twice, about 5-6 ;minutes each side.
For the Chef Faz version:
Take the grated onion and place into a clean dishtowel or some cheese cloth. Twist into a ball and squeeze out all the juice. Add 1/4 teaspoon of bloomed saffron and reserve. You can save the grated and juiced onion for koubideh kabobs.
Mix the olive oil, sliced onion, lemon juice and salt into a large bowl and add the chicken chunks. Marinade for 2 hours or overnight if desired.Thread chunks onto Persian kabob stakes when ready to grill and reserve on a sheet tray to make transportation to the grill easier. Cook over a medium-hot grill turning kabobs only twice, about 5-6 ;minutes each side. Brush eash side with the onion-saffron juice while cooking and after they are taken off the grill. Season with salt before serving.
