One of Iran’s culturally signifcant dishes, chunks of chicken breast is marinated in turmeric, saffron, Greek yoghurt, and lemon to create a tender and juicy kebab.
I love Jujeh Kabab for many reasons over and beyond the satisfaction it gives me when I eat them. Kababs signal the Summer with family parties (‘mehmoonis’) moving outside into gardens with us all soaking up the sun (or sheltering from the rain) and eating delicious appetisers while the meat cooks on our bbqs.
Jujeh Kabab is also a popular dish at Persian restaurants scattered around London, alongside other culturally siganificant dishes such as Kabab Koobideh (minced lamb kofte kebabs) and Ghormeh Sabzi (Lamb, herb and fenugreek stew).
What is Jujeh Kabab?
Jujeh Kabab is the Persian offering of a chicken kebab. Made by marinating chicken in a mixture made of Greek yoghurt, turmeric, saffron, sliced onions, garlic, tomatoe puree, lime juice, olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. The chicken is then cooked over charcoals and basted with a little butter throughout the cooking process.
Often served on chelo rice or wrapped in lavash bread (a paper thin flatbread). Other optional components include grilled tomatoes, green chilli peppers, fresh lemons or limes, yoghurt and fresh herbs (as pictured below).
How to Serve Jujeh Kabab
Serve with Chelo or lavash bread, Salad Shirazi (or any other salad you fancy), fresh herbs (Persian-style), Maast o Moosir, grilled tomatoes and green chilli peppers and / or Torshi.
Variations
Jujeh kabab is often made with poussin (spring chicken) on the bone. So feel free to use this cut of meat instead of chicken breast. The skin will need to be removed and the poussin chopped into small sectionsbefore marinating. The picture below is an example of Joojeh kebab made with poussin and on the bone.
Jujeh Kabab
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 large skinless chicken breasts (or approximately 1.2 kg)
- 1 large brown onion (finely sliced)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground saffron (bloomed in 50ml water)
- Juice from a whole large lemon
- Salt and Pepper (to season)
- 1 large garlic clove (crushed or minced)
- 1 to 2 tbsp butter (Melted - to baste the chicken while cooking)
Instructions
- Chop your chicken into chunks (fairly large as they will shrink when cooking).
- Put the chicken pieces into a bowl and then add all the ingredients except the butter and massage into the chicken until all the marinade is mixed in and evenly distributed amongst the chicken pieces. It will be a yellow/orange colour. Cover and leave in the fridge for the flavours to develop for a minimum of 12 hrs. Take the chicken out of the fridge about 30 mins before you want to cook to bring up to room temperature.
- When you are ready to cook the chicken (either on your bbq or under the grill on the highest setting), divide the chicken on to about 4 skewers and cook, basting with the butter and turning the skewers until the chicken is a little charred. It takes roughly 15 to 25 minutes on a bbq (depending on how hot your bbq is).
- Serve alongside Chelo or lavash bread, Salad Shirazi (or any other salad you fancy), fresh herbs (Persian-style), Maast o Moosir, grilled tomatoes and / or Torshi.
