Joojeh Kabob (Persian chicken skewers)

Joojeh Kabob is a popular Persian dish that features tender chicken marinated in a flavorful mixture of saffron, yogurt, lemon, and aromatic spices. Originating from Iran, this dish is a staple of Persian cuisine, often served during celebrations and gatherings. The marinade infuses the chicken with a perfect balance of savoury, tangy, and slightly smoky flavors, making each bite incredibly juicy and aromatic. Grilled to perfection, served over fluffy or crispy rice and paired with a creamy sumac aioli, this dish is perfect for when you crave a flavourful hearty dinner that will not disappoint.

Components

• Chicken Thighs
• Saffron
• lemon juice
• yogurt
• olive oil
• onion
• garlic
• salt
• Black pepper
• Turmeric

Preparing the Chicken for Joojeh Kabob

Chicken thigh vs. chicken breast: Both cuts of chicken work for well with this marinade so ultimately it comes down to personal preference but there’s a few things to keep in mind. Generally, chicken breast cooks faster than chicken thighs and is therefore more likely to get dry if you don’t keep an eye on it. Another thing to keep in mind is that you may want to slice the chicken thigh into strips so the cook time isn’t too long and similarly, slice the chicken breast into bite sized cubes, so the chicken doesn’t cook too quickly and thus become dry.

Marinating time: Ideally joojeh kabob should be marinated overnight- there are so many subtle flavours in this marinade that you want to allow the time to work their magic like the onions, yogurt, lemon juice and saffron. It’s also important to give a generous marinating time as that will allow the chicken itself to absorb more of that saffron water and in turn give the chicken its beautiful golden colour. While overnight marination is ideal, I typically marinate my joojeh chicken first thing in the morning so by dinner time, the marinade has had several hours to do its thing.

Keeping the chicken moist: 2 key things to remember to get you the tender, moist chicken. First, being at least 3-4 hour marinating time to allow the yogurt and lemon juice to break down the proteins and tenderize the chicken. Second being to pay attention to cooking time and perhaps invest in an inexpensive thermometer so you can take the chicken off the heat once it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees f.

What kind of skewer to use

For making joojeh chicken kabob, it’s best to use long metal skewers, as they are sturdy and can withstand the heat of the grill without warping. Metal skewers also make it easier to turn the kabobs evenly for a perfect cook. If you don’t have large metal skewers, you can use two bamboo skewers spaced about 2-3 inches apart to secure the chicken. This will help keep the pieces from spinning around while grilling, ensuring even cooking. Just be sure to soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20-30 minutes before use to prevent them from burning.

Ways to cook joojeh kabob

Joojeh Chicken Kabob can be cooked in a few different ways, with grilling and baking being the most common methods. Grilling the kabobs over a high medium heat gives them that signature smoky flavor and crispy char, which enhances the overall taste and texture. On the other hand, baking them in the oven is a great option if you don’t have access to a grill—it still yields juicy, tender chicken but without the smoky char. Because an oven doesn’t get quite as hot as the grill, the cook time on a bake setting will take a little longer to cook but you may get softer chicken due to the low heat. The closest way to get a similar high heat direct contact like you would with a grill using an oven would be to set the oven to broil. You should place the kabob on a high rack close to the broiler- this would reduce the cook time significantly and get more char than simply baking.

How to serve Joojeh Kabob

Joojeh Kabob pairs wonderfully with fluffy Persian rice or crispy tahdig. The golden crispy crunchy rice is my go to for this dish because it adds a satisfying texture to the meal. A refreshing Shirazi salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a lemony dressing, gives a much needed fresh contrast to the savoury kabobs. For extra flavour, serve with grilled vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and shishito peppers, which add a smoky char and balance out the richness of the chicken- my favourite hack is to mash up the grilled tomatoes that have softened up so much they become almost a salsa for the rice.

Joojeh Kabob (Persian chicken skewers)

This flavorful joojeh kabob recipe features tender chicken marinated in a vibrant mix of saffron, yogurt, lemon juice, and spices, then grilled to perfection. Served with crispy rice, a refreshing Shirazi style salad and sumac aioli- it’s a classic that will always come through when you need a wholesome dinner.

Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Prep Time 2 hrs Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

Saffron water

• ¹⁄₂ tsp saffron (loosely packed)
• ¹⁄₂ tsp sugar (levelled)
• 1 cup hot water

Saffron powder

• 7-8 strands saffron (small pinch)
• Small Pinch of sugar

Joojeh chicken

• 1 lb. Chicken thighs (boneless/skinless)
• ¹⁄₄ cup Saffron water
• ¹⁄₄ cup Lemon juice (1.5 lemons)
• 2 tbsp Yogurt (heaping)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt (more to taste)
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Black pepper (heaping)
• ¹⁄₈ tsp Saffron powder
• ¹⁄₈ tsp Turmeric
• 2 Yellow onions (small)
• 4-6 Garlic cloves

Lemon saffron butter

• ¹⁄₂ stick butter (melted)
• ¹⁄₄ cup saffron water
• ¹⁄₄ of a lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Sumac aioli

• 1 cup Mayo
• ¹⁄₄ cup Yogurt (heaping)
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Sumac
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Dried mint
• ¹⁄₈ tsp saffron powder
• ¹⁄₄ of a Lemon juice
• ¹⁄₄ tsp salt

For the grill

• Shishito peppers
• Yellow onion
• Tomatoes

Instructions

1. Make saffron powder by grinding saffron and sugar with a mortar and pestle until powdered. You will need this powder for the chicken marinade and sumac aioli so make a double batch as the increments in the ingredient section will make ⅛ tsp. Set this powder aside.

2. Make saffron water by heating up 1 cup of water until it's just before boiling point. Take the water off the heat then grind up saffron and sugar once again with a mortar and pestle until powdered. Pour a little hot water into the mortar and stir, then pour that saffron water into the remaining hot water so you have 1 cup of saffron water and allow this to cool. *note you will likely have a little left over saffron water. Simply store it in the fridge, use it to make tahdig or persian rice or use for other marinades.
3. Cut up chicken thighs into long strips. Do not cut the chicken thighs into squares as they will be too thin and small to fit on the wide metal skewers.
4. Pour some of the cooled saffron water over the chicken and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then finish seasoning the chicken with lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, black pepper, salt, turmeric, saffron powder, minced garlic and sliced white onion. Marinate at least 3-4 hours.
5. While the chicken is marinating, make the sumac aioli sauce by combining mayo, yogurt, garlic cloves, sumac, dried mint, saffron powder, lemon juice and salt. Blend using an immersion blender and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the sauce flavours marinate together.
6. Line the chicken on skewers making sure the chicken is mostly flat. Sprinkle the chicken skewers with a little more salt at this point if desired.
7. To make the saffron lemon butter, combine melted butter with saffron water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
8. Preheat the bbq for 10 minutes and grill chicken 7-8 minutes per side until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165. Brush the chicken skewers with saffron lemon butter on each side before and after flipping.
9. Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a tray lined with aluminum foil and brush with more saffron lemon butter to finish.
   If grilling onions and tomatoes, place these on the grill about 3-5 minutes before as they are better with a cook time slightly longer than the chicken and don't forget to brush the veggies with the saffron lemon butter as well.