This Air Fryer Low Carb Persian Chicken Kabob recipe is aromatic, easy, and very family-friendly. It’s really perfect for kids. Joojeh kabobs are traditionally made with boneless, skinless chicken breast, but I think it’s actually juicier if you use chicken thighs.
What Makes This Joojeh Kabob Recipe So Yummy?
- Fast. The cook time is under 30 minutes .
- Easy. The hardest part of this recipe is making the saffron water. Which, really, isn’t hard at all.
- Low Carb . Only 1 carb per serving.
- Healthy. An amazing air fryer recipe skips the need to deep fry these Persian Chicken Kabobs .
What Is A Persian Chicken Kabob?
I know this says it’s a kabob recipe , and there are just pieces of chicken on the plate in the pictures, but that’s because really it was just easier to throw the chicken in the Air Fryer basket and be done with it.
If you want to cook it on the skewers , you can, or you can even put them on skewers when they’re done cooking. Either way, they’re tasty and perfect in the air fryer.
Usually, Joojeh Kababs are served with tomatoes and onions. In addition to the vegetables, you’ll also normally find basmati rice as well.
WHAT IS SAFFRON WATER?
Saffron water is used as a way to preserve saffron since it can be an expensive spice. Saffron water is best used when a recipe already calls for liquid in the first place.
Typically you would take some saffron and grind it in a mortar and pestle and then put it in a small amount of water for about half an hour. If you don’t want to mess with that, you can just throw a few strands of saffron into the recipe and call it a day for Joojeh Kababs.
How Do You Pronounce Joojeh?
The pronunciation of this word depends on where you’re from. From my experience, you can find two different ways to pronounce Joojeh.
- Jew-Jee
- Jew-Jay
I doubt anyone will correct you if you say it either way. So don’t be afraid to give it a try.
What Kind of Chicken Do You Use For A Persian Chicken Kabob
Chicken Breast
This is the more popular choice and you can absolutely use this cut of meat. It is a leaner cut of meat, so you may want to spray with a little extra oil before cooking to maintain the juiciness of the meat while it cooks in the air fryer.
Chicken Thighs
This is my preference. I prefer to make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs because of how juicy they turn out.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1.5 pounds Chicken Breasts - The main protein. It’s lean, tender, and perfect for skewering. Cutting into uniform pieces ensures even cooking in the air fryer.
- 1/4 cup Onion - Blended or minced into the marinade, onion helps tenderize the chicken and infuses it with aromatic sweetness.
- 1/4 cup Full-Fat Greek Yogurt - Acts as a natural tenderizer and marinade base, keeping the chicken juicy and helping spices cling to each piece. Yogurt is key in Persian cooking for creating moist, flavorful kabobs.
- 1 tablespoon Oil - Adds richness, prevents drying during air-frying, and promotes light browning and caramelization.
- 1 teaspoon Salt - Enhances all the flavors in the marinade and helps the chicken retain moisture as it cooks.
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika - Offers mild smokiness and color, giving the kabobs depth even without a grill.
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper - Adds subtle heat and balancing sharpness to complement the warm spices.
- 2 tablespoons Saffron Water - The signature flavor element. Saffron adds floral aroma, golden color, and authentic Persian depth that makes the kabobs unforgettable.
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric - Adds warm earthiness and enhances the saffron color, giving the kabobs their classic golden tone.
How To Make Persian Chicken Kabobs
- Place chicken in a large bowl.
- Place onion, Greek yogurt, oil, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a small blender container and process until you get a smooth mixture.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken.
- Add turmeric and saffron water and mix until the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. You’re adding these two ingredients later to keep your blender bowl from being irrevocably stained yellow.
- Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours in a refrigerator.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place in the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer to 370F for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.
- Test with a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F before serving.
Tips And Tricks
Persian chicken kabobs are juicy, flavorful, and beautifully golden when made correctly, and with a few simple techniques you can achieve restaurant-quality results right in your air fryer.
- Use full-fat yogurt only . It keeps the chicken moist and prevents it from drying during cooking.
- Blend the onion into the marinade instead of leaving it chunky, so the flavor distributes evenly onto each piece.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket . Space between pieces helps them brown instead of steam.
- Preheat the air fryer for more even cooking and better caramelization on the outside of the chicken.
Variations
If you want to change up the flavor or customize the kabobs for different meals, these delicious variations give you plenty of fresh ways to enjoy the same deliciousness you’ll find in one of our best air fryer chicken recipes .
- Joojeh Kabob with Citrus - Add 1–2 tablespoons of fresh lemon or orange juice to the marinade for a bright, tangy finish that pairs well with saffron.
- Spicy Saffron Kabobs - Add ½–1 teaspoon cayenne or Aleppo pepper if you enjoy heat with your saffron.
- Yogurt & Mint Kabobs - Add 1–2 tablespoons of mint (fresh or dried) for cooling, aromatic kabobs perfect for summer.
- Garlic-Forward Kabobs - Stir in 2–4 minced garlic cloves for a bolder, more robust savory flavor.
- Persian Chili-Lime Kabobs - Add lime zest plus red pepper flakes for a zesty, lightly spicy variation.
Want To Make This A FullPersian Meal?
If you’re not eating low carb, I would recommend making this with Sabzi Polo . Deliciously spiced rice that will leave you totally satisfied but somehow still wanting more. Plus it’s made in your Instant Pot , so you know it’ll be done in a flash.
How Long Do They Last?
Air fryer joojeh kabobs typically last 3–4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. Because they’re marinated in yogurt, saffron, and spices, the meat stays moist and flavorful even after cooling. This makes leftovers excellent for wraps, salads, or rice bowls.
For the best quality, reheat them gently in the microwave, air fryer, or skillet just until warm to avoid drying out the chicken.
Can You Freeze Them?
Yes, you can freeze joojeh kabobs very well, both cooked and uncooked. For cooked kabobs, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag along with any juices to prevent drying. They will maintain their flavor and texture for up to 2 months.
When ready to use, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator and cook as usual.
More Low CarbChicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken - My most famous recipe.
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole - the perfect appetizer or meal.
- Keto Chicken Tenders - Your kids will beg you for these.
- French Garlic Chicken - Sauce good enough to drink.
- Creamy Chicken Salad - Great for meal prep.
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole - Comfort food without the carbs.
If you love this Persian Chicken Kabob recipe as much as I do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can try it too.
Air Fried Persian Chicken Kabob | Joojeh Kabab Recipe
Ingredients
- ▢ 1.5 pounds ( 680.39 g ) chicken breasts , cut into large, bite-size pieces
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 40 g ) Onion , roughly chopped
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 50 g ) Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 1 tablespoon ) Oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Kosher Salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Smoked Paprika
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Ground Black Pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 2 tablespoons ) saffron water , See recipe
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Turmeric
Instructions
Make the Saffron Water
- In a mortar and pestle, grind together equal parts of saffron and sugar. You’re doing this for two reasons. One, it extends the use of the saffron by flavoring the sugar with the aroma and essence. Two, once it is ground up fine, it dissolves in water more easily.
- Use about 1/2 teaspoon of this powder mixed with 1 cup of hot water to give you a saffron water you can use to flavor meats, desserts, and cakes.
Joojeh Kabobs
Place chicken in a large bowl.
Place onion, Greek yogurt, oil, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a small blender container and process until you get a smooth mixture.
Pour this mixture over the chicken.
Add turmeric and saffron water and mix until the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. You’re adding these two ingredients later to keep your blender bowl from being irrevocably stained yellow.
Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place in the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer to 370F for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.
Test with a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F before serving.
These joojeh kababs are usually served with plain white rice with butter, and a sprinkle of the saffron water on top of it.
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Air Fried Persian Chicken Kabob | Joojeh Kabab Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts cut into large, bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup Onion roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons saffron water See recipe
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions
Make the Saffron Water
- In a mortar and pestle, grind together equal parts of saffron and sugar. You’re doing this for two reasons. One, it extends the use of the saffron by flavoring the sugar with the aroma and essence. Two, once it is ground up fine, it dissolves in water more easily.
- Use about 1/2 teaspoon of this powder mixed with 1 cup of hot water to give you a saffron water you can use to flavor meats, desserts, and cakes.
Joojeh Kabobs
Place chicken in a large bowl.
Place onion, Greek yogurt, oil, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a small blender container and process until you get a smooth mixture.
Pour this mixture over the chicken.
Add turmeric and saffron water and mix until the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. You’re adding these two ingredients later to keep your blender bowl from being irrevocably stained yellow.
Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place in the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer to 370F for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.
Test with a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F before serving.
These joojeh kababs are usually served with plain white rice with butter, and a sprinkle of the saffron water on top of it.
Air Fried Persian Chicken Kabob | Joojeh Kabab Recipe https://twosleevers.com/air-fried-persian-joojeh-kabob/
Use your air fryer to make a delicious Jalfrezi Curry? You absolutely can. I use mine for a thousand reasons, and I love how easy and flavorful this Chicken Jalfrezi recipe turned out.
Why Use An Air Fryer For Jalfrezi?
It kept my chicken juicy and tender, it cooked quickly, and the spice infusion was incredible. Not to mention the fact that it all cooks together in one pan making this dish easy and simple for a weeknight meal (or any meal really).
This is by far one of my best air fryer chicken recipes .
What Is In A Chicken Jalfrezi?
Chicken Jalfrezi or Jalfrezi is basically a fancy way of saying a chicken curry dish with stir-fried veggies . It’s actually a very clever way to use up leftovers.
Jhal in Bengali means spicy, so you can make this spicy but you can adjust the spice in this dish easily. But essentially, it has:
- Chicken
- Onion
- Bell peppers
- Spices
- Tomato Sauce
Doesn’t that just sound delicious?
It’s a pretty popular dish in Eastern restaurants and is also a popular dish in India and Pakistan. It’s also delicious and super simple to mix up. It’s a meal that easy for Americans to enjoy because it uses easy to find ingredients with familiar tastes, and amps it up with spice like only Eastern food can do.
How Do You Make Chicken Jalfrezi From Scratch?
I do think this dish is more popular outside of India than it is in India, and it is most definitely not made in an air fryer if made the traditional way. Traditionally, you’d cook this in a wok on the stovetop.
- In a large bowl, mix together Chicken, onions, peppers, oil, salt, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne.
- Place the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer basket.
- Cook. Stir and toss half way through the cooking time.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small microwave safe bowl, combine tomato sauce, water, garam masala, salt, and cayenne.
- Microwave. Remove and stir. Microwave some more. Set aside.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove and place chicken and vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the prepared sauce over them, and toss to cover the chicken and vegetables evenly with the sauce.
I love using my air fryer for a variety of recipes and air fryer chicken jalfrezi sounded amazing. And let me tell you, it was.
Want To Make Jalfrezi Shrimp?
I love shrimp as much as I love chicken and it’s another great meal option if you’re eating low carb. If you want to make a shrimp jalfrezi , simply follow the steps to make chicken jalfrezi but reduce the cook time to 5-7 minutes.
What Can You Serve With This Air Fryer Chicken Jalfrezi?
I am a big believer in mixing up cuisines so these other suggestions aren’t Indian food per se. But they are dishes that I think would go well with the Chicken Jalfrezi .
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes is absolutely scrumptious and made quick and easy in your air fryer.
- Keto Flourless Chocolate Brownies are absolutely to die for while being surprisingly low carb.
- Air Fryer Huli Huli Chicken . It’s a sweet and slightly spicy chicken dish with a tropical flair!
This Chicken Jalfrezi is a really flavorful curry dish that we enjoy a lot. If you’re not doing low-carb you could serve it with rice or naan bread. If you are doing low carb you can serve Jalfrezi curry with a side salad of sorts to make it a whole meal. The sauce is tomato-based and pairs really well with the peppers and onions and has just the right amount of heat to make the sauce flavorful without being too spicy.
Want MoreAir Fryer Recipes?
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- French Toast
- Keto Shrimp Scampi
- Air Fryer Mushrooms
- Fish Nuggets
If you love this Chicken Jalfrezi as much as I do I hope you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can try it too.
Chicken Jalfrezi Air Fryer Chicken Jalfrezi
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 pound ( 453.59 g ) Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs , cut into large, 2 inch pieces
- ▢ 1 cup ( 160 g ) onions, chopped
- ▢ 2 cups ( 298 g ) Chopped Bell Peppers
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 2 tablespoons ) Oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Kosher Salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Turmeric
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Garam Masala
- ▢ 1/2-1 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Cayenne Pepper
For the Sauce
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 61.25 g ) tomato sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 1 tablespoon ) Water
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 1 teaspoon ) Garam Masala
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Kosher Salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together Chicken, onions, peppers, oil, salt, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne.
Place the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer for 360F for 15 minutes. Stir and toss half way through the cooking time.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small microwave safe bowl, combine tomato sauce, water, garam masala, salt, and cayenne.
Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Microwave for another minute. Set aside.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove and place chicken and vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the prepared sauce over them, and toss to cover the chicken and vegetables evenly with the sauce. Serve with rice, naan, or a side salad.
You can also cook this dish stovetop. You would stirfry the chicken, onion, and bell pepper until they were mostly cooked, and then add the sauce along with a little extra water. Then, you’d cover the pan and let it simmer until the sauce had thickened, and the chicken and veggies were cooked through. Leave a little bite in the veggies and you’re all set.
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Nutrition
Originally published October 5, 2018
And don’t forget to check out my air fryer cookbooks! Every day easy air fryer , and Air Fryer Revolution .
