Chicken infused with saffron marinade and roasted until juicy and tender makes a delicious feast that looks magnificent. Roasting makes the chicken skin golden and super crisp. And the combination of saffron, butter, lemon and other aromatics smells so good. You need this saffron roast chicken in your life!
Saffron Roast Chicken
Persian cuisine is all about great combination of flavors, clever techniques and delicious results. This saffron chicken is yet another example of that magical formula. Pair it with zereshk polo (barberry rice) and you have a stunningly delicious Persian dinner.
You only need a few ingredients and simple steps to make this elegant dish. The star ingredient here is saffron, which is also the secret ingredient in many amazing Persian recipes. It enhances the flavor of the chicken and gives it a lovely color.
I combine saffron, onions, garlic, spices and lemon to marinate the chicken overnight, just like I did for the famous joojeh kabobs. Then I brush the chicken with butter or ghee and roast it to golden perfection, basting with the juices for more flavor and taste.
Oven roasted chicken is so easy to make but also looks very impressive. That's why this recipe is great for weeknight dinners and festive times. And works well for holidays like our amazing roast goose.
Key Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients and substitutes.
- Chicken: I prefer skin-on whole chicken, but you can also use cut-up pieces, leg quarters, or drumsticks. Cornish game hens would be elegant. The skin-on chicken roasts beautifully, preserving the juices and elevating the taste. Remove the skin before eating to lower fat content. Choose organic or pasture-raised chickens for better taste.
- Saffron: This precious spice gives the lovely golden color and flavor to the chicken. I buy premium saffron, about which you can learn more in our saffron tea post. It is expensive, but you only need a small amount for great flavor. To get most of your saffron, grind the threads finely using a mortar and pestle.
- Olive Oil: Adds flavor and moisture.
- Melted Butter: While roasting, the butter adds a nutty flavor and also keeps the meat moist. Substitute with oil for a lighter version.
- Advieh: I use my homemade Persian spice blend advieh, but you can also buy this at Middle Eastern stores or online. Alternatively, mix ground coriander and cumin.
- Organic lemons: We need lemon juice for the marinade and lemon quarters for stuffing the chicken. Citrus goes well with saffron.
How to Make Saffron Chicken
Here is a step-by-step overview. Full recipe with measurements is at the end of this post.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 430°F and prepare a roasting pan. Pat chicken dry and loosen the skin.
- Marinade: Blend onion, some garlic, and lemon juice. Strain the mixture and mix with olive oil, saffron water, and salt.
- Marinate: Season the chicken generously with spices and saffron marinade. Marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator for maximum flavor and taste.
- Stuff Chicken: Remove from fridge, drizzle melted butter, and season it. Stuff with onions, garlic, lemon, and bay leaves. Tie drumsticks, tuck wing tips under chicken.
- Roast: Place the chicken on onion slices in a baking tray, pour some marinade, and roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Baste chicken twice at 30 minutes and 1 hour. Tip: If the chicken starts to get too brown, tent it with foil after the first hour to prevent over-browning.
- Serve: Let the chicken rest before serving with pan juices.
Top Tips
- Monitor Roasting Time. Keep a close eye on the chicken while roasting to prevent overcooking.
- Cook the chicken for about 30 minutes per pound. It is cooked when the leg meat is well done. I roast a 3 pound chicken for about 1½ hours.
- Test for doneness. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) and roast until the chicken registers a minimum safe temperature of 165ºF and the juices run clear. But I let it go to 170ºF to 175ºF for more well done.
- The stuffing also should register a minimum temperature of 165ºF.
Storage
- Bacteria grows quickly between 40 and 140°F, so refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking or taking out of fridge. It will keep well in refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
- Freeze in small portions in freezer safe containers.
- Thaw and reheat, adding a sprinkle of water and cover with a lid to preserve moisture.
How to Serve
This roasted whole chicken looks elegant as it is, but you can also carve it like this roast goose.
- Persian Rice: It tastes and looks great with jeweled rice (morasa polo) or barberry rice. No need for any extra decoration.
- Non traditional sides: Try it with couscous, roasted potatoes, or flatbreads.
- Salads: Add a carrot salad or shirazi salad (tomato cucumber salad).
- Other Sides: Such as mushroom frittata or spinach yogurt dip.
- Special Occasion: Make it a feast, with easy fruit salad or chickpea cookies and for beverage add date shakes.
Variations
This Persian saffron chicken is low carb, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, grain free and soy free. Below are some ideas you can try.
- Saffron Chicken Wings: The saffron marinade will be phenomenal with chicken wings. A great recipe for your air fryer.
- Saffron Yogurt Chicken: Add yogurt to the marinade. We have a similar option for our chicken kabobs.
- More Vegetables: Add potatoes and bell peppers to the roasting pan.
- Herbs and Spices: Try adding thyme, rosemary or turmeric to the marinade.
- Vegetarian Alternatives: Use the saffron marinade with tofu, tempeh, cauliflower steaks or vegetable skewers, and then grill or roast them.
More Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Kabsa (Arabian Chicken and Rice)
- Musakhan (Sumac Chicken Flatbread)
- Braised Chicken Tomato Stew
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Saffron Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs whole chicken bone-in, skin-on, thawed, Note 1
- 1 teaspoon Advieh Persian spice mix or combine ground coriander and cumin, Note 2
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, plus extra
- 1 tablespoon salt divided
- 3 large yellow onions 1 for marinade, 1 peeled and quartered, 1 sliced thick
- 6 cloves garlic halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon saffron ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water, Note 3
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 organic lemon quartered
- 2 bay leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 430°F. Line a baking tray with foil or lightly grease a roasting pan. Place the rack in the middle.
- Chicken: Remove the neck from the chicken cavity and discard any excess fat and feathers. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Using a long dessert spoon, loosen the skin from the chicken, both on the breast and drumsticks.
- Spices: In a small bowl, combine the Advieh spice mix (or ground coriander and cumin), black pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Sprinkle this mixture inside and outside the chicken, rubbing it well. Loosen the skin from the meat and rub the mixture onto the flesh and under the skin.
- Make Marinade: In a food processor, grind 1 onion, half the garlic and lemon juice. Strain the mixture. Add olive oil, saffron water and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Marinate: Drizzle about two-thirds of the onion-saffron marinade inside and outside the chicken, under the skin, and spread it evenly. Save the remaining marinade for later. Place the chicken in a deep dish so that it is submerged in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
- Drizzle Butter: Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Drizzle melted butter inside, outside, and under the chicken's skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Stuffing: Pour half of the remaining saffron marinade inside the chicken cavity and over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with quartered onion, garlic, lemon, and bay leaves. Tie the drumstick ends with a piece of kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the chicken.
- Arrange: Place the chicken breast-side up on a bed of thick onion slices in a baking tray or roasting pan. Pour some marinade around the chicken.
- Roast: Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F and the juices run clear when pierced at the joint between the drumstick and the body. Baste the chicken twice, spooning the pan juices over the skin at 30 minutes and 1 hour. Tip: Tent foil after 1 hour if it starts to get too brown.
- Serve: Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes without covering it to prevent the skin from becoming soft and moist. Serve the saffron chicken with the pan juices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken: Other options are cut-up pieces, leg quarters, or drumsticks. Cornish game hens make an elegant presentation. The skin-on chicken roasts beautifully, preserving moisture and enhancing the taste. Remove the skin before eating to lower fat content. You can carve it as we did for roast goose.
- Persian spice mix: Find advieh at Persian or middle eastern stores and online. Substitute with a mild mediterranean or middle eastern spice mix.
- Grinding Saffron: Use a mortar and pestle to grind saffron threads with a pinch of salt or sugar into a fine powder.
- Freeze: Cool the cooked saffron chicken completely, then store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.
- Nutrition facts are adjusted and approximate.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
A general guideline for roast chicken is to use about 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken. So, for a 3 pound whole chicken, you can use 3 teaspoons of salt.
But it can vary depending on personal preferences and other seasonings used in the recipe. So, start with a moderate amount of salt and adjust to taste as needed.
Pat chicken dry before marinating. Baste the chicken with pan juices and melted butter while roasting to make the skin crispy.
Saffron is a rich source of antioxidants with various benefits. It has antidepressant, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that it may aid in treating depression, improve sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs, and reduce adiposity. Regular consumption may help with PMS symptoms and benefit memory and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Leave a Comment