This recipe for cooking stuffed chicken fillet with Iranian saffron wraps a barberry, walnut and fried-onion filling inside tender saffron-marinated chicken.
The tart barberries keep the walnut filling lively, while saffron, lemon and a small amount of soy sauce season the chicken itself. Each roll is browned gently in a pan, rested, then sliced to reveal the filling.
Ingredients for stuffed chicken fillet
- 4 chicken fillets
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- ½ cup fried onion
- ½ cup barberries
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons bloomed saffron
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt, black pepper and turmeric, as needed
- Cooking oil, as needed for the pan
- Toothpicks or unwaxed kitchen twine
Rinse the barberries briefly in cool water and drain them well. Pick through the walnuts for any hard shell pieces before chopping.
Flatten and marinate the chicken
Lay each fillet between two sheets of baking paper. Pound it carefully with the flat side of a meat mallet until it has an even thickness, working from the center outward so the meat does not tear.
Combine the sliced onion, soy sauce, bloomed saffron, olive oil and black pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chicken and turn each piece in the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Add the lemon juice and a modest amount of salt near the end of the marinating time; soy sauce already contributes salt.
Make the barberry and walnut filling
Warm a small amount of cooking oil in a pan. Add the fried onion, chopped walnuts and a pinch of turmeric.
Stir for a minute, then add the drained barberries. Cook only until the berries become glossy and slightly plump. High heat or a long frying time can scorch them.
Season with black pepper and taste before adding salt. Transfer the filling to a plate and let it cool completely before it touches the raw chicken.
Fill and secure the chicken rolls
Lift the chicken from the marinade and brush away the onion slices. Lay a fillet flat with its smoother side facing down.
Spread a narrow line of filling across the wider end, leaving a border around the edges. Roll the fillet firmly, tucking the sides inward as you go so the filling stays enclosed.
Secure the seam with toothpicks or tie the roll with unwaxed kitchen twine. Do not use flavored or waxed dental floss. Repeat with the remaining chicken and filling.
Cook the stuffed chicken fillets
Heat a cast-iron or heavy frying pan over medium-low heat and add enough oil to coat the base. Place the rolls seam-side down.
Turn them gradually as each side becomes golden. Keep the heat moderate so the surface does not darken before the center is cooked.
Cover the pan for part of the cooking time if the rolls are thick, then uncover to restore the browned surface. The center of the chicken should reach at least 74°C (165°F).
Rest, slice and serve
Move the stuffed chicken fillets to a board and rest them for five minutes. Remove every toothpick or piece of twine before slicing.
Cut the rolls crosswise with a sharp knife and arrange them on a warm plate. Spoon any loose barberry-and-walnut filling around the slices rather than forcing it back inside.
Saffron rice, a simple green salad or roasted vegetables make suitable accompaniments without competing with the filling.
How to stop the filling from escaping
- Keep the chicken even: thin spots tear when the roll is tightened.
- Cool the filling: hot walnuts and onions soften the raw chicken surface.
- Leave a border: filling pushed to the edge spills into the pan.
- Start seam-side down: the first contact with the pan helps set the closure.
- Rest before slicing: cutting immediately releases hot juices and loosens the roll.
