Joojeh Kabab ba Holu (Saffron Chicken Kababs With Peaches)

As a traditional Persian cook, I attest to the authenticity of this recipe. That’s exactly how I would marinate and grill chicken kabob. And the preparation of saffron is spot on. Pls note that turmeric is NOT a substitute for saffron. Saffron has a unique perfume/aroma and color unlike any other and is a staple of Iranian foods. We also use turmeric often but in other recipes not in kabobs.

Wow! I made this for my first post-pandemic dinner party. All were delighted! I served it with naan bread that I placed under the chicken kabobs on the serving platter. The bread soaked up the juices, adding another delicious component to the flavorful dish. It was a beautiful presentation. I served with a yogurt sauce made with full fat Greek yogurt, salt, chopped shallot and chopped mint and a watermelon salad (watermelon, arugula, feta cheese and balsamic). What a delight!

There is no substitute for saffron, its flavor is absolutely unique. The closest approximation is probably turmeric, which will at least add the color, and hint at the flavor.

It seems to me that if it is not available to you, you could find a different kabab recipe than the one with "Saffron" as a major ingredient in the title, background, and preparation. Examples: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016439-chicken-or-swordfish-kebabs https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7033-chicken-kebab-turkish-style You could even additionally skewer tomatoes and peaches and grill them alongside either one, as in this recipe.

Annie S. - same issue on my end. Just set up the chicken on a rack with pan underneath for 350 degrees for about 15 minutes and you’ll be fine.

This was so delicious. I completely forgot to baste the chicken with butter, and we didn't miss it. I don't have a grill, so I used my oven - 400' for 20 minutes and broil on each side for about 4 minutes.

This was off the hook! So good with fresh, super juicy farmers market peaches, and the saffron marinated chicken thighs. Oh, and those onions. Just. Yum. What a combo!! Followed directions, I have a stash of saffron I bought in Turkey five years ago and it is still good, even with a move from DC to the west coast. I would do this for a summer dinner party. We had this delightful dinner tonight with pita bread and homemade babaganoush. A treat and a half!

This recipe is delicious! I’m surprised and a bit horrified at the substitution of turmeric for saffron. Turmeric and saffron taste entirely differently. Don’t do it! There is no substitute for saffron. I grilled the tomatoes at the same time as the peaches and chicken. Since the tomatoes are done so much sooner, I smashed them into the gently caramelizing onions to make a delectable relish of sorts. Served with rice topped with the caramelized relish topped with chicken and peaches!

Turmeric is bitter in the background. Saffron is flower-y. The tastes would be so different! Dried rosemary is more green and less floral, and, well green. Saffron is that wonderful yellow/gold/orange color with a superb floral taste and fragrance. I don't believe one can substitute for saffron. It is just the queen!

As a substitute for saffron in a very good recipe for saffron pasta with ground pork and tomatoes that is now a family staple (where the saffron is profligately used just in the pasta water!), I have found turmeric with fresh or dried rosemary to be a quite acceptable and cheap alternative. (I use 1-2 tsp turmeric and 1/2- 1tsp dried rosemary or a healthy sprig of fresh in the water for 1/2 lb dry cavatelli pasta).

This recipe was quite labor intensive and time consuming and, in the end, my husband and I did not find it that good.

This was delicious, we ate it on Lavash with steamed basmati and some tzatziki on the side. The only change i will make next time is to reduce the salt in the marinade. The cooked onions were a touch too salty for me (and I like salt).

Safflower, available in some middle eastern markets, has a very similar flavor and is far less expensive.

We made this last night and it was SO good. The flavor of the saffron is so beautiful with the lemon. We used about 3/4 teaspoon of burlap and barrel saffron threads, which gave us plenty of the ground spice mix. Otherwise, we made everything as written--the onions are AMAZING. Grilled some homemade zaatar flatbread to serve while the chicken/veggies/fruit grilled, too.

This was fantastic! We followed all directions and loved the results. Trader Joe’s has saffron for ~$6 per teaspoon for those who are concerned about the cost.—don’t let that keep you from making this. Also grabbed their lavash bread while I was there and popped it in the oven a few minutes before piling the kebabs on top. Perfect summer meal!