Slow roasted Persian Chicken
This slow roasted Persian style chicken is juicy, flavourful and impressive- Yet is SO simple to whip up! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it’s gluten free, paleo and dairy free!
This month’s recipe redux theme-
A Food Memory For Which You Are Thankful
In the US, November marks the Thanksgiving holiday. But many of us are especially thankful for food memories we have shared with friends or relatives throughout our lives. Was it a special meal you ate as a child? Or, maybe it was a food you grew and harvested with your own children. Please share one of your favorite food memories and the healthier “redo” of the recipe.
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Recipe development and experimentation is something I genuinely enjoy most of the time.
Sometimes, nothing beats making a family favourite recipe passed down from one generation to the next.
No fancy adaptions.
No complicated processes.
No ingredients which require you to sell your soul to obtain.
Just a classic, family meal made with love.
I always knew whenever we’d be having ‘chicken night’ as I used to call it. It was often on weekends when Mum didn’t have work and she’d spend a solid four hours straight in the kitchen with Celine Dion playing in the background. From around 3pm, mum would turn on the oven, collate her herbs together and begin to assemble this dish.
My sister and I would be oblivious to all of this- all we thought was ‘mum’s in the kitchen for a long time’ and the end result was chicken. Good chicken.
Scrap that- The most delicious chicken.
My mum had a special way of serving it to us- the table would be set and there would be the standard sides with any Persian meal- Pita bread, natural yogurt, homemade pickles and a very simple green salad tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. On each plate was a mount of buttered, basmati rice ready for the main attraction to be placed upon it- The slow roasted chicken.
It was like a system in place- Get my plate, add the chicken, put some pickles and a dollop of natural yogurt and it was time to dig in. I can recall that every Persian dish followed this process to a T- the main, the pickles, the yogurt– It was as though it was ingrained.
Persian Slow Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram chicken thighs chopped roughly
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 can of diced tomatoes 400 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon pure saffron
- 1 tablespoon Norbu natural sweetener or 2 tsp natvia or sweetener of choice
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Butter oil or cooking spray
- Torn spinach for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. In a large baking dish, generously coat it with butter, oil or cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped chicken thighs, onions, minced garlic and mix well. Stir through the diced tomatoes. Add in the turmeric, saffron, norbu natural sweetener/natvia/sweetener of choice and salt and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the chicken mixture into the greased baking dish. Gently pour the chicken stock over the chicken mixture evenly. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 1 hour, gently stirring halfway. Chicken is cooked when you insert a skewer, and juices are clear. Alternatively, you can cut the centre piece and ensure it isn't pink.
- Remove from oven and cover with tin foil for 10 minutes to rest. Serve immediately, or allow to cool completely.
Notes
I made this dish after asking you, the readers, what you wanted. I ate it over three nights and froze the leftovers. I bought a small tub of natural yogurt, a jar of pickles, a bed of (microwaved) basmati rice and some pita bread. Not because I wanted those sides particularly much- but because it was ingrained in me to do so.
What is a childhood meal which brings back recipes for you?
What were typical side dishes for you growing up?
Ever eaten homemade pickles?
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.
YES. Please come. We have butter, rice and chicken.
Hmmmm…kimchi? Japanese ginger pickle? Can those count? (ginger pickle is like crack)
Oh yes, definitely could use some more Persian flavors in my life. Looks like a great place to start with this dish.
Thanks Kaylin!
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.
Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing.
Hope you do! Cheers.
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!
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.
Those should be star dishes TODAY 😉
You are ALWAYS welcome for dinner.
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.
Hi Blair! You most definitely can omit the sweetener 🙂
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. 🙂
Evelyn- that means the absolute world, to me AND my mum! 🙂
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
Thank you!
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
Sarah- that means so much to me! Glad you enjoyed it- Hopefully I can raid my mum’s brain and share more savoury recipes! 🙂
Ooooh this looks so delicious! I must give it a go x popping over from #recipeoftheweek
Thanks so much for stopping by, Kirsty- hope you try it out!
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!
Thanks Becca! Haha, but seriously..how often do we come across recipes which ask for ingredients which are MIA!
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 🙂
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.
this looks so rich and delicious, Arman!
Thank you, Cindy! It is really flavorful!