Jujeh Kabab: Tender Saffron Persian Chicken

Jujeh kabab is the wonderfully flavorful Persian grilled chicken that is most people’s gateway into the varied and delicious world of Persian cuisine. Succulent chunks of chicken tenderized in a saffron-infused, lemon-y yogurt marinade and roasted to juicy perfection.

Who could say no to that?

It’s the sort of dish that anyone will like, no matter how fussy or wary of new foods they may be. Which is why it’s an easy portal into eating Persian food. One day, you’re munching on jujeh kabab and next thing you know, you’ve added ghormeh sabzi and zereshk polo to your list of favorite foods.

It happens, people. It happens.

The lovely thing about jujeh kabab, though, is that it’s not just easy to eat – it’s ridiculously easy to make as well. Which is why it’s also the ideal gateway into making home-cooked Persian cuisine.

What is Jujeh Kabab?

Jujeh kabab (جوجه‌ کباب), also spelled joojeh kebab, literally translates to ‘barbecue chicken’ or ‘roast chicken.’

• kebab (کباب): barbecue
• jujeh (جوجه‌): chicken (specifically, young chicken)

It is one of Iran’s most common and most popular foods. You’ll find it served in restaurants and homes, at wedding parties as well as picnics, at hole-in-the-wall kabab shops, packed for lunches and for long road trips. It’s an ubiquitous dish, an absolute staple Persian food.

And it’s not surprising when you consider the significance of kebabs in Iranian cuisine. There are wood grilled kebabs, lamb kebabs, “leaf” kebabs, minced meat kebabs and so on. One thing is for sure – the Iranians know how to make great kebasb.

They’ve been doing it for a long time, after all. Although nobody knows exactly who started cooking the first kebabs, it’s believed that the Persians were serving it up at royal banquets and ceremonies as early as 550 BC!

Perhaps it’s these royal roots that gave certain kebab combinations their names. The Soltani, aka sultan’s feast, is a combination of a kabab barg and a kabab koobideh. The Sah abbasi, aka shah’s meal, is even grander – one kabab barg, one kabab koobidhe, and one jujeh kabab.

Jujeh Kabab Ingredients

Chicken. Traditionally, jujeh kabab is made with young chicken. If you can get your hands it, you can go with poussin (spring chicken). Otherwise, regular full-grown chicken is absolutely fune. You can go with either skinless chicken breast or thigh, boneless or bone-in. It’s entirely up to you. I do recommend boneless chicken thighs as the best choice, though, as it’s juicier and much less likely to dry out.

Saffron. Saffron is to Persian cuisine what paprika is to Hungarian, what soy sauce is to Chinese. You get the idea – it’s damn important. It features heavily in a lot of Persian dishes because although it is the most expensive spice in the world, Iran is in the lucky position of growing its own supply.

This is also one ingredient that there is no easy substitute for. Especially since this is a fairly simple recipe so the individual ingredients – of which saffron is the star player – matter a lot. If you absolutely need to, you can replace the saffron with an equal amount of turmeric to get a similar coloring for the chicken. But the taste won’t be the same.

If you plan on cooking more Persian food (recommended!) – it’s wise to invest in some good quality saffron.

Hot water. To bloom the saffron.

Onion. As you know, this is a simple recipe with only a couple ingredients and onion is a must as it brings a lot of flavor.

Garlic. Garlic is not an essential ingredient – traditional jujeh kabab relies heavily on onion, lemon, and saffron. But I add it in because I love garlic. You can do the same or leave it out.

Lemon juice. Adds delicious zesty tanginess and double duties as a tenderizing acid.

Yogurt. Perfect for tenderizing the chicken. It also “sticks” to the chicken and creates a delicious crust.

Olive oil. For flavor, tenderizing, and to help pull the flavors out of the aromatics.

S&P. For seasoning, of course!

The secret ingredient. As you can see, this recipe replies on just a handful of ingredients. The thing that allows all these flavors to perform at their best is simply…time. Specifically, time to marinate. So while this is a very easy recipe, the marinating isn’t a quick process. You should ideally aim for 12 hours or optimally, overnight.

The smartest thing to do is to prepare it the day before and enjoy it for lunch or dinner the next evening. It’s simple to do because marinating is super quick and easy.

How to Make Joojeh Kabob

1. Bloom the saffron

Everything begins with saffron. So add the saffron to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and go at it until the strands turn into fine powder. Pour in 2 tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for around 10 to 15 minutes.

Note: If you have a bit more time, you can also cold bloom the saffron. Grind it into a powder and then instead of how water, place two ice cubes (equivalent to about 2 tablespoons of water) on top of the saffron. Let the ice slowly melt.

2. Make the marinade

Add all the other marinade ingredients – onion, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper – as well as the bloomed saffron into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Marinate the chicken

Combine the chicken pieces with the marinade. I like to do this in a Ziploc bag as it saves space in the fridge. You can also use a bowl.

Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Note: For many other chicken marinades, like Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, this is the point where you’d be able to freeze the chicken. I don’t recommend freezing jujeh kabab unless you’ll be omitting the yogurt. Yogurt and the freezer just don’t mix.

4. Bake

When you’re ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge so it can has a bit of time to come to room temperature while the oven heats.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF). While the oven heats, thread the chicken onto metal skewers. I like to add onion in between the chicken because onion gets so delicious and sweet when it’s grilled.

I also use the ends of the metal skewers to elevate the chicken so that heat can reach everywhere.

Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Option #1: If you want the most insanely delicious jujeh kabab, baste the chicken with butter about halfway through roasting.

Option #2: If you want a bit of char, turn the broiler to high and broil for about 2 minutes. Just make sure to keep an eye on it because it can burn quick.

Enjoy!

Note: Metal skewers can be very hot fresh from the oven or grill. Handle with care.

Can I Grill it Instead?

Absolutely! Oil and preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the skewered chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until it’s cooked through and juicy.

Note: Yogurt marinades can stick to the grill so add a bit of extra oil and don’t flip the chicken too soon.

Can I cook it in a pan?

Yes, you can – but to be honest, it’s not the best method. Yogurt marinades tend to stick to pans so it’s a less-than-pleasant experience. I’ve also noticed that jujeh kabab cooked in a pan is much drier than oven baked.

If you must, preheat the pan for a long time – cast iron griddles need at least 5 minutes. Be thorough about covering with oil. And don’t flip the chicken too soon – leave it to cook for around 8 minutes before turning it over.

But overall, I recommend the oven. It’s easy and it results in very juicy chicken.

What to Serve with Jujeh Kabab?

Sumac. This lemon-y tart spice is delicious sprinkled atop jujeh kabab or the rice you’re serving it with.

Rice. Not just any rice, mind you – a generous platter of even more generously buttered basmati rice. Especially if there’s tahdig involved.

Grilled vegetables. Like any good barbecue, one of the best things about it are the side dishes. And grilled vegetables complement jujeh kabab so well. Try grilled tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, corn, and/or peppers.

Bread. Just because you have rice, doesn’t mean you can’t have bread, too. Specifically, flatbreads. If you can make it or find it, lavash, babari or sangak are the traditional side kicks to go with jujeh kababs. Lay the juicy chunks of chicken on top to serve so the flatbreads can soak up the chicken juices – these make a treat in and of themselves.

Salad. While the jujeh kabab is in the oven, one of the smartest things to do is to make a salad, especially sumac red onions. Tabbouleh salad is also great with jujeh kabab.

Yogurt. Can be served as is or you can toss in cucumbers as well as minced shallots, garlic, and/or mint.

Others. Pickled vegetables sides are also delicious. Fresh herbs are also great.

Variations

Loved this jujeh kabab and wants more recipes like it? You’ll want to check out…

Shish Tawook. This Lebanese chicken kabab is also marinated in delicious, creamy yogurt – but shish tawook gets its pretty color from tomato and paprika. Very easy to make, very delicious.

Chicken Shawarma. An absolute classic dish. It’s another yogurt-marinated chicken that is huge on flavor and short on prep time. If you love jujeh kabab, you’re going to love this.

Whole Chicken Tandoori. This is my whole roast chicken tandoori. It’s also marinated in yogurt and intensely flavorful spices. Definitely one of the most addictive roast chickens I’ve ever had.