Saffron Chicken Recipes

SAFFRON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toast the saffron strands in a dry pan over a medium heat for about 1 minute taking care not to burn them.
• Cool, and then crush them with the back of a spoon.
• Dissolve them in 1 tablespoon of very hot water.
• Heat the ghee (or whatever you use), and gently fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chillis until the onion is soft and golden.
• Add garlic.
• Add the dissolved saffron to the pan with the cardomon, then add the chicken.
• Turn the chicken pieces in the mix, coating well.
• Add the salt, cover and cook for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender.
• Uncover the pan and continue cooking, turning often until the liquid is almost gone.

SAFFRON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375º.
• Melt butter in skillet. Cook chicken breasts until mostly cooked.
• In a large measuring cup (1 quart), mix onion soup mix, spices (feel free to sub whatever spices/seasoning and amounts that you want.) and can of cream of mushroom soup. Fill measuring cup with water to the 1 quart (4 cup) line.
• In large casserole dish, add rice and carrots. Add partly cooked chicken on top of rice and carrots. Pour soup mixture over chicken and rice.
• Cover casserole with aluminium foil.
• Cook for 45 minutes, or until rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid.

CHICKEN SCALLOPINE WITH SAFFRON CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken
• cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked
• through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving
• plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Turn the heat to medium, add the
• shallot and the garlic and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated.
• Add the chicken broth and saffron threads, bring to a simmer and reduce for 10 minutes. Add the cream, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

MOROCCAN SAFFRON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Enjoy!

SAVORY SAFFRON CHICKEN POLOW

Steps:

• Bring water and 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a large pot; stir in saffron rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil until lightly browned and softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stir chicken into skillet and cook until seared on all sides; add chicken broth. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until broth is reduced and chicken is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Shred chicken using two forks to pull chicken cubes apart.
• Preheat oven to 385 degrees F (196 degrees C). Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.
• Spread 1/2 the rice in a layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon chicken and onion mixture over rice; spread chickpeas and raisins over chicken mixture. Top with remaining rice and sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake in the preheated oven until liquid is almost completely cooked off and rice is lightly browned at the edges, about 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

BRAISED LEMON-SAFFRON CHICKEN AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle (or the bottom of a spoon and a bowl), grind the saffron threads into a powder as best you can. Add the 2 tablespoons hot water and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Place the chicken in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan or baking dish. Cut large potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan. Drizzle the chicken and potatoes with the oil, then season well with salt and pepper.
• Add the lemon juice to the saffron water, mix to combine, then pour over the chicken and potatoes, stirring to coat. Arrange the chicken skin-side down. Sprinkle evenly with the whole black peppercorns, if using, then cover tightly with foil. (It's OK if everything is close together.)
• Cook until the meat is tender and easily pulled from the bone, and the potatoes are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last 15 minutes, remove the foil, flip the chicken, stir the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes more, uncovered, to reduce some of the liquid.
• Season with black pepper and serve with rice or pita to soak up the lemony juices.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PEPPERS, TOMATOES AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Add the peppers, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, about 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Then add the tomatoes and saffron. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet large enough to hold the chicken breasts in one layer. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces, reduce the heat and cook about 5 minutes or until done. Do not overcook. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and keep it warm.
• Add the shallots to the skillet and cook until wilted. Do not brown. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom with a wooden spatula to dissolve any brown particles that may cling to the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the wine almost completely and add the chicken broth. Let this cook until it is almost totally reduced. Add the chicken breasts and any liquid that may have accumulated. Add the pepper and tomato mixture, bring to a simmer and add the parsley. Serve with rice.

PERSIAN SAFFRON-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Place saffron threads into a small bowl and crush them up a bit with a spoon. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot water and stir. Let bloom for about 10 minutes - the water should turn bright yellow/orange. Set aside.
• Season chicken thighs on both sides with about 1 teaspoon salt and freshly cracked pepper.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear on both sides until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and place on a plate to the side. Add onion to the same skillet and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add saffron mixture. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine. Return chicken thighs to the skillet, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, flipping thighs halfway through cook time. Season to taste and serve with the sauce.

SAFFRON CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken, leek, celery, carrot thirds (not sliced carrots), parsley sprigs, bay leaf, saffron, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot. Add enough water to cover completely (about 14 cups). Bring to a boil, then skim foam from surface; reduce heat to low and gently simmer until chicken is cooked through, 25 minutes.
• Remove chicken; continue simmering broth while you discard skin and remove meat from bones. Cover meat and refrigerate; return bones to pot and simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours more.
• Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard solids, including bones. (You should have about 7 cups broth.) Skim fat. Add sliced carrots and celery to pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a pot of salted boiling water according to package directions; drain. Shred or cut some of reserved chicken to yield 3 cups of bite-size pieces (save extra for salads or sandwiches) and add to broth with noodles; season to taste. Simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes; serve with parsley leaves.