Persian Chicken

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5 from 5 votes
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My family grew up eating this Persian chicken recipe. It features chicken simmered in a blend of garlic, tomato, and saffron until tender and juicy. It’s so easy to make.

Persian chicken.

Need more out-of-the-ordinary chicken recipes? Try my marry me chicken, huli huli chicken, or Peruvian chicken next.

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make Persian chicken
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Frequently asked questions
  6. More easy chicken dinners
  7. Persian Chicken (Recipe Card)

It may come as a surprise to some of you (unless my first name gave it away!), but my mother is Persian, and I grew up eating many traditional Iranian dishes. While I have a few favorites, my mom’s Persian chicken was my favorite.

In this recipe, chicken pieces are coated in a Persian spice blend with flavors of turmeric and saffron. Then, they’re baked in the oven until the chicken is super tender so that it melts in your mouth!

What is Persian chicken?

Persian-inspired chicken is a type of chicken dish originating in Iran. It consists of chicken thighs coated in a spice blend, garlic, and sometimes yogurt. The chicken is grilled or baked and served as Persian chicken kabobs or ‘joojeh kabobs.’

Why I love this recipe

  • Mostly hands-off cooking. This recipe only has me in the kitchen for 10 minutes. After that, all I have to do is pop the chicken in the oven and wait until it’s done. 
  • Great for beginners. If you’re new to cooking or curious about trying new flavors, this recipe will yield foolproof results. 
  • Not your average chicken dinner. It’s full of warming flavors that are unique but familiar. I can say from experience that it’s a true crowd-pleaser!
homemade Persian chicken over basmati rice.

Ingredients needed

  • Chicken. I like using boneless skinless thighs and drumsticks, but you can keep the skin on if you want extra flavor. You can also use a whole chicken and chicken quarters. If you use chicken breasts, be mindful as they cook quicker than dark meat.
  • Onion and garlic cloves. Must-have aromatics. 
  • Canned tomatoes. In their natural juices. The tomatoes add flavor, tenderize the meat, and help create a ‘gravy’ to soak your rice.
  • Turmeric. Adds flavor and gives the chicken its signature yellow color. 
  • Saffron. The magic ingredient! Saffron adds a gorgeous floral flavor and yellow color. It is a bit on the pricey side, but you only need a few saffron threads. Use the rest to make my saffron chicken
  • Chicken broth. Adds flavor and keeps the chicken moist.
  • Salt and black pepper. To taste.
  • Butter or olive oil. For flavor and richness. 

How to make Persian chicken

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

bloomed saffron in a bowl.

Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and grease a baking dish with oil. Bloom the turmeric in a bowl.

seasoned chicken drumsticks and thighs.

Step 2- Season the chicken. Combine the chicken with the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. 

chicken, broth, and seasonings in a skillet.

Step 3- Bake. Add the seasoned chicken to the baking dish, pour the broth on top, and bake until the chicken is fully cooked. 

homemade Persian chicken over fluffy basmati rice.

Step 4- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken, cover the baking dish, rest briefly, and serve warm. 

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Using bone-in chicken? Add an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time as the bone absorbs a considerable amount of heat. 
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature before baking. So it cooks quicker and more evenly. 
  • Consider your pan. I suggest using a cast iron skillet if you want that desirably crispy skin or use a Dutch oven for tender, moist chicken. If I’m using a Dutch oven, I’ll usually broil the chicken for the final 5-10 minutes to help achieve that crispy skin. 
  • Make it a one pot dish. Season the chicken in the baking dish so you have one less dish to wash!
  • Baste the chicken in the pan sauce every 20 minutes to infuse more flavor. 

Frequently asked questions

Can I grill the chicken?

Yes! If you want to break out the grill, you can prepare this chicken as directed, then grill it at medium-high heat, flipping occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165F. 

Can I substitute the saffron?

If you can’t find saffron, increase the turmeric by 1/2 teaspoon.

Iranian chicken.

More easy chicken dinners

Persian chicken recipe.

Persian Chicken

5 from 5 votes
My mom's authentic Persian chicken recipe makes an easy and cozy dinner. It features chicken pieces coated in a turmeric and saffron spice mix and simmered until tender. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Video

Ingredients  

  • 2 pounds chicken a mix of thighs and drumsticks
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 13 1/2 ounces canned tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure saffron
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon butter

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 150C/300F. Grease a large baking dish generously with butter or oil.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, onions, minced garlic and mix well. Stir through the diced tomatoes. Add in the turmeric, saffron, and salt and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Add the chicken mixture to the greased baking dish. Gently pour the chicken stock over the chicken mixture evenly. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
  • Remove from oven and cover with tin foil for 10 minutes to rest before serving.

Notes

Variations & Storage
  • Elevate the marinade. Add lemon juice for essential acidity or cinnamon for additional warm Persian flavor. 
  • Marinate the chicken. Let the chicken marinade in the seasoning blend for up to 4 hours to infuse flavor into each bite. 
  • Garnish the chicken with toasted pistachios or walnuts for added crunch.
  • Serve with basmati rice and a fresh salad for a complete, Iranian-inspired meal. 
  • To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. 
  • To freeze: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze it in a sealed container for up to 4 months. 
  • Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a preheated oven or microwave until warm. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 20gFat: 20gSodium: 322mgPotassium: 422mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 208IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 5g
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Persian
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published October 2014, updated and republished December 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

    1. Hi Laura! Ghormeh Sabzi is perhaps the one Persian food I despise the most haha! In all seriousness, it differs considerably to Sabzi Polo ba Mahi- Ghormeh Sabzi is more of a hearty stew based of veal or beef and with greens and sometimes raisins- Eaten on fluffy basmati rice. Saabs Polo ba Mahi is more of a plain fluffy basmati rice with fried or steamed fish with it! 🙂

      Mum makes this with chicken breasts but I love using thighs because they are much more flavourful- Definitely boneless 🙂

      1. Ha! YES. I’ve tried so many times to enjoy ghormez sabzi and I just can NOT.

  1. Old family recipes are the best! I’m in the process of making my late father in law’s recipes and sharing them on my blog and making a family cookbook out of them. He was an amazing cook and we miss him dearly. Your chicken looks fabulous…I’m looking forward to trying it!

    1. Oh wow- What a fantastic idea- I can only imagine how amazing those recipes will be- You’ll have to keep us updated on it!

      Please do! 🙂

  2. Wow, this is stunning and I can just picture the scenario of your mum cooking and you all sitting around the table. I really want to eat this.

  3. I’m just loving reading about everyone’s fond childhood memories involving food, funny how food can evoke such feeling. I for one am thankful you shared this special dish. I adore these flavors more than any and am excited to attempt this one. Pinned. Happy to now be following your blog! oxox

  4. I love how you described that meal! It sounds really amazing. I’ve never had Persian food before. Totally want to try this.

  5. I don’t eat chicken, but this sounds delicious! I also have a feeling your mama and I will get along, because I love Celine Dion too, haha! I love how you described it as a bit of a system- you just kinda knew what to do as you went along. Sounds like a wonderful memory 🙂

    1. Oh no, Gen. WHY.

      Maybe you could sub the chicken for beef 😉 Just kidding. you’re welcome to come anytime. My heart will go on.

  6. The chicken looks amazing, Arman, but I have to say that my favorite part of the post was “no ingredients that require the selling of your soul to obtain”. LOL!

  7. Made this last night, it was so tasty, my 2 and 5 year old (and husband) loved it too. Only had to buy one ingredient that wasn’t already in the pantry. Thanks sarah

    1. Sarah- that means so much to me! Glad you enjoyed it- Hopefully I can raid my mum’s brain and share more savoury recipes! 🙂

  8. Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays Party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share next time!
    -Cindy

  9. I’m picking up 40 lbs of chicken this weekend for the freezer – this will be the first recipe I use with it…it looks fabulous!! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

  10. Hi! Just found your blog. I love Persian and Middle Eastern food. One question about this recipe: is it necessary to use a sweetener? I am trying to limit not only my carbs but also my sugar intake.

  11. I want to eat a sit down Persian meal cooked by your mum while she sings Celine Dion in the kitchen. It sounds wonderful, well minus Celine. I could handle two songs at most before I’d need to swap music. 🙂

    I remember either Broccoli smothered in homemade cheese sauce or Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes growing up. Those were the star dishes of my childhood.

  12. This looks awesome and we love to try new things and experiment with flavors from other countries!!!
    I like your new techie changes over here!

  13. Yesss…I cannot wait to try this! I loved hearing about your family’s traditions too (especially because now I know exactly what to serve with this).

    Sunday dinner growing up was often roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and gravyyy. Still one of my favorites.

  14. Oh yes, definitely could use some more Persian flavors in my life. Looks like a great place to start with this dish.

  15. Wanna adopt me into your family? The sound of buttered rice with this chicken, natural yogurt, and a homemade pickle is making me question my loyalty to my Asian roots.

    1. YES. Please come. We have butter, rice and chicken.

      Hmmmm…kimchi? Japanese ginger pickle? Can those count? (ginger pickle is like crack)

  16. Hurrah for Persian food! So glad you shared another recipe. I like hearing about your family’s traditions. Did you generally sprinkle sumac on your food? Whenever I have had Persian food there is always sumac for sprinkling. I have not seen pickles, instead the meal begins with lavish, onion slices, and sometimes, fresh herbs.

    Growing up we always, always had green salad and at least one cooked vegetable with our meals. We rarely ate meat and a starch. My mom made lots of casseroles, soups, and stir-frys. Heavy on starch and veggies and low on meat. We also had to have a glass of milk. Sometimes, when I set the table I would purposely not set out milk glasses. Since my parents never drank milk they might not notice and I could enjoy my meal free of the dreaded glass o’ milk. However, my eldest brother loves milk and would ask, “Hey, where’s the milk?” Thanks a lot bro!

    I’ve never had a homemade pickle. I eat cucumbers often but cannot say I’m a fan of pickles.

    1. Thank you! and YES- especially if it was kebab! Mum brought back some from Iran a few years ago and we treasure it like gold!

      Wow, I’m surprised you haven’t seen pickles- the cauliflower and carrot ones are delicious! The milk story is funny- I had a similar instance but at breakfast time- but I despised it!

  17. Hey you stepped away from the cookies and stuff! This looks bomb. Also, how funny, I wrote about the Spartans and you wrote about Persians. Sort of. I dunno.

    1. I know, right? It must have been your bacon recipe calling me.

      Haha. THIS. IS. SPARTA.

      Please tell me you play(ed) age of empires.

  18. Look easy enough that even I can make it. Seriously, terrible cook here! And thank god for not having fancy ingredients. Half the time I read recipes and look halfway down the list and think, “um, no.” 🙂

  19. I won’t be making this, but your photos sure look good. When I think about my childhood I think of mac and cheese and 17 servings of jalapeno poppers. No wonder I was such a chunker.

    1. Why won’t you be making this?

      OMG no wonder we are like soulmates. I was a chunker too! Maybe that’s why we despise kids so much- cos they are so limber…while we were soft toys.

  20. My very good friend Rey makes something similar to this and it’s awesome. Can’t wait to try your recipe Arman, looks phenomenal!

  21. that looks incredible!
    Yum! Speaking/thinking of chicken thighs. My moms apricot chicken in the slow cooker with rice was ALWAYS my favorite
    Other memories: handmade perogies, stuffed cabbage (golumpki) and my moms famous egg/kielbasa/pepper/onions scrambles
    Also I remember my father and grandmother cracking hazelnuts for us , we could NEVER get enough!

    YES I love homemade pickles and make them ALL the time. My family also makes saurkraut and mushrooms (marinated)

    1. Thanks! Chicken thighs are truly delicious! I hope your mum makes you all those food soon- they sound incredible!

  22. My mouth + Persian Food (specifically Shawarma) got married two Mays ago! And it’s been WEDDED BLISS ever since!

  23. This looks so good! I’m definitely pinning it! My Mom and mother-in-law make fantastic pickles. It is something I have been wanted to make myself for years and still haven’t attempted it!

  24. Wait is this is the same Persian chicken recipe you posted ages ago? Because I already have that one pinned and I don’t know if I should pin this one too! #firstworldproblems

    I make a lot of recipes passed down from my Nana to my dad to me. One of my favourites is her coq au vin recipe. So dang good!

    1. It’s similar in terms of herbs and spices but it’s been slow roasted and a few additions- I prefer this one!

      Coq Au Vin? geebuz you’re family are the ultimate foodies!

  25. Eating a homemade pickle right now! If you hurry up and get here you may catch the end of round 3!

  26. This looks pretty simple to make – but so delicious!
    As for childhood meals – beef stroganoff. my mom makes an awesome one.

  27. Yum! My mom cooked lots of different cuisines but never Indian at home -this looks easy yet so fragrant (and love the idea of the pickle, yogurt, rice & pita accompaniments 😉

  28. This looks so good!! Pinning for sure. And I know it’s not the same (at all) but every time Miguel and I go to DC we eat Peruvian chicken….. and every time you talk about Persian chicken I think about how much I love Peruvian chicken….. random!

    1. LOLOLOL. You are so funny. Peruvian sounds intriguing- I’m off to google to see if it’s like Persian Chicken!

  29. Yummm, oh man this looks so good. I love that your mom listened to Celine while cooking haha. My mom used to make a beef stroganoff that was so good when I was growing up.

  30. Oh Arman this looks so good! And I love that it all goes in a pot, in the oven and cooks away!
    Did your mum ever make Persian lamb? I had that in Abu Dhabi – I still have dreams about that dish, encrusted with pomegranate jewels!

  31. It looks really simple and fun. Your photography is so great and if I didn’t like Persian chicken, would have changed my mind looking at these.

  32. You know what ingredient I might sell my soul to obtain? That magic fiber they put in quest bars… just being honest! Pinning your delicious chicken recipe!

  33. This sounds soooooo soooooo good! Unfortunately I am VERY hungry right now and just seeing this sends me a bit over the edge! And those pictures! LOVE THEM! So pretty! Very very good job!

  34. Now I have a craving for a homemade pickle! You talk about this chicken all the time and I can see why, it looks incredible and I can only imagine how it tastes.

    It’s funny how food traditions get ingrained in us, I was getting ingredients for tacos last weekend and put a can of olives in my basket, not because I like olives on my tacos but because that’s one of the toppings my mom always had for us growing up.

  35. My mum was born in Persia (way back in the 30’s when it was still Persia!) though she was a displaced Russian but to her dying day still spoke a bit and loved Persian things…including the food of course. Most of my sandwiches were in pita bread though stuffed randomly (:

    We had Russian homemade goods though such as borscht (days in fridge made it even better) and lots of other such goodies.

    Ahhh…the taste of home!

    1. WHAT! No way- thanks for letting me know! And my grandma has Russian/Turkish roots too!

      Hahahahahahaha that is awesome- I grew up thinking pita bread was the ‘standard bread’ and then got bullied at school. And Borscht- oh man, my grandma makes the best! This comment from you is awesome!

  36. I really love it when bloggers share their family recipes. It’s like getting a “secret” recipe.

    This sounds so good too. I love turmeric.

  37. MUST TRY THIS. Totally making this, when I have time to actually think about meals again. Love all the flavors. Must have with like a quart of tabbouleh though.

  38. This looks fabulous Arman!
    I was always the one cooking growing up. My mom never made anything special, haha!

  39. I would love to try your mom’s cooking,..this sounds divine! Growing up, we used to eat this Ghanian chicken curry almost every Sunday made from peanuts. We’d serve it with rice & a variety of toppings including coconut shreds, peanuts, onions, and papaya…so effing delicious!

    1. More incentive to come to Australia! Wow, a curry with peanuts in it? i’m intrigued! Off to google now because it sounds good!

  40. This chicken recipe looks and sounds sooo good ! I was scared that it required a slow cooker but thank you for this method instead so I can actually make it!! I love how those dinner ritual are ingrained into you, that’s so interesting.
    I can’t remember such a special ritual or routine. We often ate the same things in a maybe 2 week cycle. I loved my mum’s spaghetti with meat sauce and pancakes (savoury and sweet, for dinner, lol).
    I’ve never had homemade pickles but wanted to make them for so long now! I really should make them once, it’s not difficult I think.

    1. No worries- it really is so ingrained in me still! Pancakes for dinner both ways sounds delicious- and homemade pickles are amazing- my mum and grandma have jarfuls!