feed peas Saffron Recipe is the page’s original name for a simple Persian-style chicken and green pea stew. Carrots and potatoes make it substantial, while tomato, saffron and a spoonful of verjuice or lemon bring the broth into balance.
Saffron Chicken and Green Pea Stew
The key to this quick stew is adding each vegetable at the right time. Fresh or frozen peas can cook alongside the potatoes; canned or already cooked peas need only the final 10 minutes. That small adjustment keeps their colour and prevents them from turning soft.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 35–45 minutes
Serves: 3–4
Ingredients
- 200 g green peas, fresh, frozen or cooked
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons golden fried onion, or 2 onions to prepare from scratch
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon strong brewed saffron
- 1 tablespoon verjuice or fresh lemon juice
- Olive oil or another cooking oil, as needed
- Salt, black pepper and ground turmeric, to taste
- About 2 cups water or unsalted chicken stock, plus more if needed
Use a concentrated infusion so the saffron carries through the broth. Our guide to brewing saffron gives a reliable method.
Brown the Chicken
Heat a little oil in a medium saucepan. If you have ready-made fried onion, warm it briefly in the oil. Otherwise, finely chop the two onions and cook them over medium heat until soft and golden.
Add the chicken with a pinch each of salt and turmeric. Cook for 4–5 minutes, turning the pieces, until the outside has lost its raw colour and begun to take on a little colour.
Build the Stew
Add the carrots and stir for a minute. Pour in about 2 cups water or unsalted chicken stock, enough to come most of the way up the ingredients. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes. If the peas are fresh or frozen, add them now as well. Continue simmering until the carrots and potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through, usually another 15 minutes. If using canned or pre-cooked peas, drain them and wait until the final 10 minutes.
Chicken should reach 74°C/165°F at its thickest point; this is the safe endpoint listed in the US food-safety temperature chart.
Add the Saffron Finish
Stir in the tomato paste, saffron and verjuice. Let the stew bubble gently for 10 minutes so the tomato loses its raw edge and the flavours settle together. If you use lemon juice instead, add it during the last few minutes for a fresher taste.
Adjust the liquid to suit the way you plan to serve it. Keep a little more broth if you are eating it from a bowl, or simmer uncovered for several minutes if you want a thicker sauce for rice. Taste and correct the salt, pepper and acidity before taking the pan off the heat.
Serving and Variations
Serve this saffron pea stew on its own with bread or spoon it beside steamed basmati rice. The original recipe also allows small meatballs in place of chicken; brown them first, then simmer them with the carrots until fully cooked.
What the old wording called “cream” meant raw peas, not dairy cream. No cream is needed: the potatoes naturally give the finished broth a little body.
