Persian Joojeh Kebab (Saffron Chicken Kebab)

Ingredients

• 450 g boneless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp strong brewed saffron
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 200 g white or yellow onion
• 2 firm tomatoes
• as needed Salt
• 2 fresh limes, for serving
• Sumac, for sprinkling over the kebabs
• 2 rice-measuring cups long-grain rice (320 g)
• as needed Salt
• as needed Oil
• as needed Water
• Some butter
• Some brewed saffron

Steps

1. Cut the chicken breast into cubes. Do not cut them too thin. Place the chicken in a bowl, add the brewed saffron and lemon juice, and mix well until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade.
2. Then slice the onions and mix them with the marinated chicken. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for about 5 hours.
3. You can marinate it for less or more time. I seasoned the chicken breast at night to have it ready for lunch the next day.
4. After marinating, remove the chicken pieces from the onions and thread them onto skewers fairly close together, as shown in the photo. Sprinkle them with salt.
5. If the tomatoes are large, cut them in half; if they are small, thread them onto the skewers whole.
6. Grill both the chicken and tomatoes over charcoal. Turn the skewers frequently so that both sides cook evenly. Avoid continuously fanning the charcoal, as this can burn the chicken. You can also skewer and grill hot peppers.
7. Alternative cooking methods: You can cook the chicken in the oven using the rotisserie function at the highest temperature for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, lightly grease a frying pan with a brush, thread the chicken pieces onto wooden skewers, and cook them in the pan. The traditional Iranian method is to grill Joojeh Kebab over charcoal.
8. Once the chicken is grilled, you can brush it with a mixture of butter and brewed saffron, if desired.
9. For cooking Chelo, please refer to my Chelo recipe.
10. You can also cook the Chelo as Kateh; use whichever method you find easier, but the method above is more suitable for a formal presentation. Please refer to my Kateh recipe.
11. If you would like to make Saffron Rice, please refer to my Saffron Rice recipe.
12. My suggested accompaniments are fresh basil, and sliced onions mixed with sumac and fresh lemon juice.
13. Joojeh Kebab can be served with Chelo, without Chelo, or with bread. Tomatoes, sumac, and fresh lime are essential accompaniments to Joojeh Kebab.
14. Important: Coat the chicken with the saffron and lemon juice before adding the onions. Adding the onions first causes them to absorb the marinade, leaving the chicken less flavorful and less deeply colored, and wastes a considerable amount of saffron.