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Persian Saffron Chicken is a beloved dish in Iranian cuisine, known for its golden color, rich aroma, and tender, flavorful meat. The slow infusion of saffron works very well with the other warm spices added. I usually serve this saffron chicken with dill rice or reshteh polo.
Every bite of this saffron chicken carries memories. The caramelized onion is like how my maman would make it and the chicken infused with saffron has hundreds of stories untold. Looking for more of my Persian family recipes? Try my pomegranate chicken, zucchini stew and delicious golden tahchin!
What Chicken Cut Can I Use for This Recipe?
While this saffron chicken recipe traditionally uses bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters for maximum flavor and tenderness, you can use other cuts based on preference. However, ensure to adjust the cooking time.
Chicken Thighs (Bone-In, Skin-On): A great alternative that remains juicy and flavorful.
Chicken Drumsticks: Ideal for individual portions, they absorb the saffron-infused sauce beautifully.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Cooks faster and still stays moist, though it may lack the depth of flavor from bone-in cuts.
Chicken Breasts: A leaner option, but be cautious of overcooking as they can dry out. If using breasts, reduce the cooking time slightly to make sure they stay juicy.
Ingredients
Chicken: I use bone-in, skin-on whole chicken leg quarters. This cut provides juicy, tender meat that absorbs the saffron-infused sauce beautifully. You can use skinless chicken leg quarters as well.
Kosher Salt: Salt the chicken at least 15 minutes before cooking to enhance its natural flavors.
Bloomed Saffron: Always bloom saffron threads by grinding them into a fine powder and steeping them on ice cubes. This extracts the maximum flavor and color. Read more about blooming saffron and how to use it.
Olive Oil: Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for a richer, more aromatic base. It helps sear the chicken to a golden brown.
Yellow Onion: Caramelizes for a subtle sweetness that balances the savory spices. I used 2 onions for this recipe but you can always add more.
Bell Pepper: Optional, but green bell pepper adds a lot of flavor to this dish. You can use red or yellow bell pepper as well.
Turmeric: Provides a warm earthy taste and enhances the golden color of the dish.
Ground Cinnamon: This spice brings a subtle warmth and a slightly sweet, aromatic touch. Make sure to use the amount mentioned in the recipe since we don’t want it to be overpowering.
How to Make Persian Saffron Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Pat dry the chicken leg quarters, sprinkle kosher salt evenly on both sides. Heat a dry pan over medium heat (no oil yet).
Place the chicken skin-side down in the pan and sear for 7–8 minutes until the skin is golden and the fat renders.
Add 1 tablespoon of bloomed saffron to the pan. Shake the pan gently so the saffron infuses into the chicken skin.
Flip the chicken and sear the other side for another 7–8 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Step 2: Build the Flavor Base
Add the olive oil to the pan. Once shimmery and ready, sauté the onions until translucent and golden on the edges.
Add the green bell pepper and cook for another minute to release its sweetness.
Stir in turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon. Cook for another 5 minutes until aromatic.
Step 4: Cook the chicken
Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the onion and pepper mixture.
Pour in ½ cup of water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover the pan, transfer it to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Infuse with Saffron
Add the remaining bloomed saffron water, spooning the sauce over the chicken to evenly distribute the color and aroma.
Return to the oven for another 10–15 minutes until the chicken is fully tender and until the skin is crispy and golden.
Serving Suggestions
Because of the bright and full flavors, this saffron chicken dish is better served with a simple side dish, such as reshteh polo and saffron rice.
For a refreshing contrast, serve the saffron chicken with salad shirazi, mast-o-khiar, or torshi.
How to Store Persian Saffron Chicken
Refrigerating: Let the leftover chicken cool to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container with any remaining sauce to keep it moist, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Place the cooled chicken in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To reheat, place the chicken in a pan, cover it, and heat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water if needed. Another reheating way is through the oven; cover the chicken with foil and heat at 300°F until heated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! While bone-in chicken provides more flavor and moisture, boneless thighs or breasts can be used. Just reduce the cooking time by about 10–15 minutes.
Yes! After searing, transfer everything to an oven-safe dish and bake at 400°F (175°C) for 45–50 minutes until fully cooked.
Make sure to sear the chicken properly, keep it covered while simmering, and use bone-in, skin-on cuts for the juiciest result.
More easy chicken recipes
Persian Recipes
Joojeh Kabab (Persian Saffron Chicken Kebab)
Summer Recipes
Grilled Chicken Wings Recipe Persian Style
Greek Recipes
Greek Chicken And Potatoes Recipe
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Persian Saffron Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads
- 3 cubes ice
- 4 whole chicken leg quarters, bone-in skin-on
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into one-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- To make the bloomed saffron, grind the saffron threads using a pestle and mortar. Sprinkle the ground saffron over the ice cubes places in a small bowl. Leave at room temperature to melt and you will end up with a red-orange aromatic liquid. This will be your bloomed saffron.
- Pat dry the chicken leg quarters, sprinkle kosher salt evenly on both sides.
- Heat an oven-safe pan over medium heat. Place the chicken skin-side down in the pan and sear for 7–8 minutes until the skin is golden and the fat renders.
- Add 1 tablespoon of bloomed saffron to the pan. Shake the pan gently so the saffron infuses into the chicken skin.
- Flip the chicken and sear the other side for another 7–8 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute until translucent and golden on the edges.
- Add the green bell pepper and cook for another minute. Add in the turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon. Cook for another 5 minutes until aromatic.
- Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the onion and pepper mixture.
- Pour in ½ cup of water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Uncover and transfer the pan to the oven and let the chicken roast for 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining bloomed saffron water, spooning the sauce over the chicken to evenly distribute the color and aroma.
- Roast in the oven for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is fully tender and the skin is crispy and golden.
Video
Notes
- Using green bell pepper is optional, you can use yellow or red bell pepper instead.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To make this recipe, you can use bone in skin on chicken legs or thigs instead of quarters. If using boneless chicken pieces, the cooking time will be shorter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Trying to learn this cooking. I find you to be most knowledgeable.
I’m looking for a dish mostly that was shared with me by a Persian friend. It was a rice dish I remember with chicken liver in it, I believe
This chicken has been on our regular dinner rotation for a long time! Everyone always loves it!
I love the authenticity of this chicken! Amazing! The tip on how to bloom saffron is so helpful!
Fantastic recipe. This is the first time I used saffron. It was so easy. This recipe walked me through the whole process. I will be making this over and over.
Glad you like this dish!
This is so flavorful and so easy to make, and the cinnamon is not optional! This recipe is DELICIOUS!
I love the smell of saffron but have never cooked with it because I thought it was too expensive. Loved the liquid bloomed saffron in this recipe! Delish.
Yes! a small amount of saffron goes a long way! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Did anyone notice this recipe calls for 1/3 CUP of Saffron?? That is around 500-600 DOLLARS of Saffron (which runs about $10 per GRAM)..
Besides that obvious error in measurements, this is a fairly good dish.Turns out I am not a big fan of saffron, though.
Gorgeous color it gives, however.
Hi Dennis, did you try reading the post and the recipe card completely? I have mentioned several times that saffron should not be used in strands and should be used in liquid form, also known as “bloomed saffron” (which I have also linked to the recipe and mentioned how to make it in the recipe notes). You might enjoy saffron if you use it just enough and not too much.
Thanks for this! My wife and I very much enjoyed it. There is a lot of cooking liquid left over? Unless my form wasn’t quite right? I thought it such a shame to discard this, as most of the flavor is in this liquid. After I removed the chicken I reduced this liquid a good bit and somewhere along the way decided to add a quarter of a cinnamon stick. I strained this reduction, transferred a small portion and added: Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander and stirred. The sauce was a very welcome edition. I’d recommend giving the creation of one a go to anyone. Although I wonder if there being so much cooking liquid was just a blunder on my part and the sauce saving myself from a mistake lol. Thanks again, making this was a fun time!
Hi Cody, so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed this recipe! Love that you turned the liquid into a tasty sauce! Did you cook the chicken with the lid on all through the cooking process? Maybe that could be the reason you had more liquid left. Anyway, glad to know you enjoyed it and thank you for trying this recipe!
mouth watering. perfect recipe. i loved it