Saffron Chicken Qorma with Skillet Naan

Yogurt-marinated chicken simmers in ghee with saffron, cardamom, and deep-golden onions, served beside skillet naan. The plate recalls dawn in Fatehpur Sikri’s imperial kitchen, where cooks broke seals on ghee as this chapter remembers from the Ain-i-Akbari.

Serves 4

Estimate for one serving

• 810 cal
• 14.4g protein
• 45g carbs
• 9.4g fat
• 3g fiber

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 large onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger
• 6 tbsp ghee
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 3 tbsp milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm water

Instructions

1. 1Soak saffron in warm milk. Mix yogurt with half the minced garlic, grated ginger, cumin, cardamom, salt, and half the saffron milk. Coat chicken pieces and marinate 30 minutes.
2. 2In a heavy pot heat ghee. Add thinly sliced onions and cook slowly 20 minutes until deep golden. Remove half the onions. Add remaining garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns to pot and stir 1 minute.
3. 3Add marinated chicken and cook 10 minutes until lightly browned. Pour in water, cover, and simmer 35 minutes until chicken is tender and gravy is aromatic. Stir in remaining saffron milk at the end.
4. 4For naan, mix flour, baking powder, salt, ghee, and warm water into a soft dough. Rest 15 minutes. Divide into 6 balls, roll into teardrop shapes. Cook in a hot cast-iron skillet 2 minutes per side until puffed and blistered. Brush with remaining ghee. Serve qorma with rice pilaf and hot naan.