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Iranian

Joojeh kabab

Non-vegetarian

جوجه کباب · jujeh kabāb

Chicken pieces marinated in grated onion, lemon, yogurt and saffron, then grilled on skewers and basted with saffron butter. Golden, tender and a staple of Iranian kebab houses.

Joojeh kabab is an Iranian grilled dish, ready in about 4 hours 35 minutes and made with chicken thigh and saffron. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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A flavorful Persian kebab dish with saffron rice, grilled meats, and vibrant sides.
Photo: Shameel mukkath / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
5 min
Total
4 h 35 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
370

Includes at least 4 hours marinating (overnight is better).

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the grated onion (opens in a new tab), yogurt (opens in a new tab), lemon juice (opens in a new tab), most of the saffron (opens in a new tab) water, olive oil (opens in a new tab), salt and pepper (opens in a new tab) in a bowl. Add the chicken, coat well, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Marinate raw chicken in the fridge and discard the used marinade.

  2. Step 2

    Thread the chicken onto skewers (opens in a new tab), scraping off excess marinade. Mix the melted butter (opens in a new tab) with the remaining saffron (opens in a new tab) water.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Grill over medium-high heat, turning and basting with saffron (opens in a new tab) butter (opens in a new tab), until charred in places and cooked through. Grill the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) alongside.

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C in the thickest piece.

  4. Step 4

    Rest the skewers (opens in a new tab) for a few minutes before serving.

    • 5 min

About this dish

Origin
Iran · Well documentedMore food from Iran
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Grills & kebabs · Main courses
Cooking method
Grilled, Marinated / cured
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, citrusy, savoury, smoky
Diet
No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Chicken thigh · Saffron · Onion · Yogurt · Lemon juice · Butter
Techniques
Grilling · Charcoal grilling · Marinating · Curing

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom yogurt, butter

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

370 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 283 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 45%
  • Carbohydrate 5%
  • Fat 50%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy370 kcal131 kcal
Protein40.8 g14.4 g
Carbohydrate5 g1.8 g
Net carbohydrate4.4 g1.6 g
Sugars2.9 g1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.6 g0.2 g
Fat20.1 g7.1 g
Saturated fat6.3 g2.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol203 mg72 mg
Sodium1111 mg392 mg
Salt equivalent2.8 g1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
589 mg
Calcium
61 mg
Iron
1.8 mg
Magnesium
54 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
56 µg
Vitamin C
7 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
18 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: tomato.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Grind saffron threads with a pinch of sugar in a mortar before blooming to get the most colour.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving thick marinade on the skewers — it burns before the chicken cooks; scrape off the excess.

Serve with

  • With saffron rice (chelow), grilled tomatoes, raw onion, sumac and herbs, or with lavash.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Reheat covered in a 160 °C oven until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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