Joojeh Kabob (Persian Chicken Kabob)

5 from 7 votes

Joojeh Kabob (Persian Chicken Kabob)

This Persian Chicken Kabob, Joojeh Kabob, is marinated in saffron, grated onion, lemon, and garlic. It's usually cooked on a charcoal grill, but you can also cook it in your oven under the broiler. I'll show you how to do both!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Main

Cuisine: Persian

Diet: Kosher

Servings:

Calories: 507kcal

Author: Candice Walker

Equipment

Ingredients

1.5 lb. chicken
¼ cup oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 yellow onion grated
3 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon saffron ground and bloomed/steeped in 1 tablespoon of hot water
salt and pepper

Instructions

Cut the 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into even, square pieces. Do not remove all the fat. The pieces should be approximately 1.5-2 inches wide.
Add 1/4 cup oil (any flavorless oil or olive oil), 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 grated onions, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon saffron ground and bloomed/steeped in 1 tablespoon of hot water, salt, and pepper. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to overnight.
Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, and shake off any excess onion and marinade or it will burn when you cook it.
TO GRILL: Cook the skewers with the grill open over high heat. It will take 8-10 minutes per side.
TO BAKE and BROIL: Preheat your oven to 450F. Line your broiling pan with foil and top with the skewered chicken. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping half-way through. Then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 2 minutes, flipping half-way through, to get a nice light char on the edges.
Internal temperature should be 165F when ready.

Video

Notes

The onion in the marinade is grated instead of diced. This increases the surface area of the onion. The onion has enzymes that help tenderize the meat.

Try to make sure your chicken thigh pieces are all a uniform size so that they cook evenly and in the same timeframe.

Nutrition