Morgh Ba Z’afaran (Saffron Chicken)

Recipe by Tannaz Sassooni

Photo of our beloved Diaspora Co Saffron, by B. Evy-Marie Yarde

Serve as a part of your Nowruz feast, or as a separate dinner on another evening with rice, lemon wedges, and dried sumac.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast meat

• 1/2 large onion, cut into 4 even wedges

• 1/4 tsp ground saffron

• Juice and zest of half a lemon

• cooked basmati rice

• 1-2 Tbs olive oil

• Additional oil, for greasing the grill

• salt

• 1 ½ teaspoon pepper

• additonal lemon wedges and dried sumac

Instructions:

Season chicken on all sides with salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of hot water to ground saffron; let sit for 5 minutes before adding lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, one teaspoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoon pepper.

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, about 1 inch cubes. In a large bowl or bag, combine chicken, onion, and marinade, and stir to thoroughly combine. Marinade, covered 2 hours up to overnight.

Thread chicken pieces on skewers. Thread onion pieces on separate skewers. Heat grill to medium-high, and grease grill grates with a paper towel soaked in oil. Grill skewers until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, and onion is cooked through with a bit of char, turning occasionally about 12-18 minutes.

Serve with plain basmati rice with lemon wedges and sumac on the side. Squeeze lemon on the chicken, and sprinkle sumac on the rice and chicken, to taste.