This elegant roasted saffron chicken combines juicy chicken with the rich flavors of a saffron-infused marinade. With its beautiful golden hue and enticing aroma, it is the perfect dish for a delicious feast.
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.