Persian joojeh chicken and saffron kebabs

Lifestyle Recipes Everyday Persian joojeh chicken and saffron kebabs A delicious and versatile recipe for a summer barbecue Save Comment speech bubble icon Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.    See more Published 22 May 2026 1:12pm BST Related Topics Dinner recipes, Chicken recipes, Quick recipes, Healthy recipes, Kebab recipes, Easy recipes Save Comment speech bubble icon Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Fragrant chicken on skewers, perfect option for lunch or dinner Credit: Haarala Hamilton & Valerie Berry Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.    See more Published 22 May 2026 1:12pm BST These are joojeh kebabs – my absolute favourite. They don’t usually have cayenne in (the dominant flavour is saffron), but you can add it if you want a little heat. Serve with a rice pilaff and roast tomatoes. Requires marinating time   Overview Prep time 10 mins Cook time 10 mins Serves 4 Ingredients 200g plain yogurt 1 onion, coarsely grated ¼ tsp ground cayenne (optional) Juice of 1 lemon Good pinch of saffron stamens 1 tsp coarse sea salt 1kg chicken thigh fillets or chicken breasts, 
skin removed 50ml extra-virgin olive oil (optional) Method Step Put 200g plain yogurt, 1 coarsely grated onion, ¼ tsp ground cayenne (if using) and the juice of 1 lemon into a large bowl. Step Grind the saffron stamens in a mortar with 1 tsp coarse sea salt, then add 2 tbsp just-boiled water. Stir this into the yogurt mixture, until well combined. Step Cut the 1kg chicken thigh fillets or breast into chunks (thigh is harder to make into neat pieces for skewers, but it does have more flavour). Put the chicken in the marinade, cover and leave in the fridge for an hour (longer is fine). Step Thread the meat on to skewers. If you intend to cook them in a frying pan rather than a barbecue, make sure the skewers are the right size for the pan you are using. Step Cook on a barbecue, turning them over every so often, for about 6-8 minutes. Or heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken all over, turning it round every so often, until cooked through. Thigh meat takes longer to cook than breast meat, about 8-10 minutes. Just keep turning the kebabs. Step Serve immediately. Join the conversation Show comments The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Related Topics Dinner recipes, Chicken recipes, Quick recipes, Healthy recipes, Kebab recipes, Easy recipes License this content You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Find out more here. Log In Subscribe Advertisement More Stories