Saffron chicken is a dish made with the expensive spice saffron, which is used to flavor chicken in various ways. It is often served with rice and vegetables and can be prepared in Indian, Thai, or Moroccan styles.
Saffron chicken is a main dish in which a spice made from the central part of the purple flower of the crocus is used to flavor it. There are many variations and different types of recipes for saffron chicken, which is often served with steamed rice. Typical recipes range from serving rich, creamy saffron gravies over roasted chicken to simmering tomatoes and saffron, along with vegetables and other spices, with chunks of chicken.
An expensive spice, saffron comes from Crocus sativus which appears as yellow threads. Although saffron is expensive, it is extremely rich in flavor, so typically only a few strands are needed in a dish. Saffron can be used in conjunction with turmeric to enhance the yellow color of a rice or other dish.
Some cook or fry pieces of chicken or roast a whole bird and make a saffron sauce for serving poultry. Both wine and cream and lemon juice can be added to these types of sauces. Butter and other spices besides saffron are also commonly used in these sauces. Many cooks soak saffron threads in boiling water for up to 30 minutes and then saute them before adding to sauces or chicken recipes to get the most flavor out of a small amount of expensive spice. When saffron chicken is served with a sauce, rice is usually always the side dish, along with a steamed vegetable such as asparagus.
Saffron-based Indian-style chicken also uses many other spices, such as ginger, cumin, and coriander. Tandoori mung, which is roasted chicken, is often made with a yogurt marinade. A spice blend called masala is combined with yogurt to form a marinade so that the chicken absorbs the spices, including saffron, before being cooked.
In Thailand, chicken seasoned with saffron may be grilled and served with a sauce such as peanuts or bell peppers. Jasmine rice often accompanies the meal. Alternatively, saffron rice, to which other flavorings such as coriander and lime juice can be added, can be served alongside cooked chicken. Some Thai cooks flavor the rice with saffron and serve it with roasted chicken. This meal is called khao mok gai.
Moroccan saffron chicken typically contains tomatoes. Chicken pieces are sautéed in cooking oil in a skillet. Sauteed onions and garlic can be added to the browned chicken. Water, tomatoes, potatoes and other vegetables are then simmered with the chicken, along with spices such as saffron and paprika, until the meat is cooked through. The crusty bread eaten with the Moroccan chicken helps absorb the tomato sauce.
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