Middle Eastern cuisine and I don't really have a great relationship. Not because I don't like or prefer it, but I just never am exposed to enough of it. Sure, I've been to a couple Persian places around town, but I mean, I live in Kentucky. There's not a huge Persian presence, and the restaurants that do offer this type of food, in my opinion, don't do it very well. (Or in any special way to make me want to come back again and again).
Anyway, I stumbled upon a basic recipe for Joojeh Chicken - which is usually served in kabab form, but decided to forgo the sticks with this one and just use the marinade.
The marinade seems simple, just a few staple ingredients (except the saffron, but it's worth the expense) - but they meld together to produce a complex and delicious flavor!
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts
Assorted Vegetables for grilling - we used tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions, and zucchini
Cooked rice
Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
juice from 1 lemon
1 onion, small diced
small pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, saffron, chili powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes.
Add chicken breasts and marinate for at least 3-4 hours.
Remove chicken from marinade and remove excess oil to prevent flare-ups.
Heat a grill to medium high heat. Oil the grill grates or spray with pan-spray to prevent sticking and to get good marks.
Add chicken to grill and cook until white throughout. You can also grill your desired vegetables at the same time.
Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes and slice. Serve with grilled vegetables and rice.
Easy peasy, eh?!
Well, I'm off to my volleyball tournament (last time playing with the team I've been playing with for the past 6 years! Sad to say I'm leaving this team, but the new team I'll be playing on is just as fun!) Wish us luck - trying for best of the worst (we're in the losers bracket, hehe!) Have a great rest of the week, guys!
You are right, middleeastern cusine has its own identity. By the way your chicken looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. There is so much of that cuisine that I haven't explored. This dish sounds great! Good luck at the game!
ReplyDeleteI love Persian food....we have a few kabob places around where I live. This looks great and I love the flavors you have in the chicken. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a co-incidence! I uploaded a dish with Persian influence!
ReplyDeleteLove such easy recipes that are full on flavor. Saffron is my favorite spice and I can't wait to try this one!. Thanks for sharing.