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Cooked golden chicken legs in a reduced broth with a green herb sprinkled on top and sliced lemons in a large white rectangular platter on a dark green background.
5 from 4 ratings

Braised Saffron Chicken Legs (One Pot)

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
In this saffron chicken recipe, bone-in chicken legs are gently braised in a light, aromatic broth infused with fragrant saffron and sweet caramelized onions. Topped with fresh herbs, it’s a simple yet elegant dish perfect for any day of the week.
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Ingredients
  

  • ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
  • 2 ice cubes

For the Chicken:

  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken legs , 1.5 kg
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 4 cups water

Instructions
 

  • Start by blooming the ¼ teaspoon saffron strands. Grind the saffron into a fine powder using a mortal and pestle. Add in 2 ice cubes and allow the ice to melt while preparing the rest of the dish.
  • Sprinkle the 4 bone-in skin-on chicken legs with the 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, rubbing into the chicken to season them well.
  • In a large braising pot or sauté pan with high sides and a lid, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, remove and set aside. Lower the heat to medium.
  • Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and the 1 large yellow onion and sauté. Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes until deeply golden brown. Add in the chopped 2 cloves garlic and cook for 1 minutes until fragrant. Season with the ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground cardamom and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander. Allow the spices to cook for 30 seconds before pouring in the 4 cups water, then the bloomed saffron water. Nestle the seared chicken legs into the pot. Allow the pot to come to a simmer before lowering the heat to low and cooking for 30 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is fall off the bone tender.
  • Uncover and raise the heat to high to reduce and thicken the sauce if desired. Serve the chicken with the pan juices over fluffy basmati rice.

Notes

  • Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks work just as well for this dish.
  • If you don't have saffron but want to use this technique for cooking chicken, then simply skip the saffron and add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric with the rest of the spices to get a golden colour.
  • Best to use a heavy bottomed pan to allow the chicken to braise until tender, efficiently.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 418kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 120mg, Sodium: 849mg, Potassium: 329mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg
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