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Khoresh-e porteghal
Orange chicken stew
خورش پرتقال (khoresh-e porteghal): Mazandaran chicken stew with orange peel, carrot and almonds
Mazandaran on the Caspian grows Iran's oranges, and in winter, when bitter Seville oranges and sweet navels are everywhere, families there cook khoresh-e porteghal for guests; it has also become a Tehran wedding-season favourite. Chicken braises in saffron and orange juice with ribbons of candied peel, carrot batons and slivered almonds, giving a jewel-bright stew that is fragrant, sweet and tangy. Serve it with chelow. The usual mistake is leaving the white pith on the peel, which makes the whole pot bitter; slice it off thinly and blanch the strips twice. The dish contains almonds. Chef's tip: a squeeze of Seville orange or lime at the end stops it tasting like marmalade.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighsboneless and skinless, halved
- 1 onionfinely sliced
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 orange peelpeel of 2 oranges, white pith sliced off, cut into fine strips
- 2 carrotscut into thin batons
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ tsp saffron threadsground and steeped in 3 tbsp hot water
- 1 ⅜ oz slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp lime or Seville orange juice
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 2 orange peel in a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and drain. Repeat once more with fresh water, which takes away the bitterness.
10 minStep 2: Heat half of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until golden. Add 8 chicken thighs and 1 tsp ground turmeric and brown the pieces on both sides.
10 minStep 3: Add 1 cup fresh orange juice, ¾ cup water and 1 ¼ tsp salt, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 4: In a frying pan heat the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat and fry 2 carrots for 5 minutes until just soft. Add the peel and 2 tbsp sugar and stir for 3 minutes, until glossy.
8 minStep 5: Toast 1 ⅜ oz slivered almonds in a dry pan over a medium heat until pale gold. Watch them, as they burn fast.
3 minStep 6: Add the carrots, peel, half of ⅔ oz slivered almonds and ¼ tsp saffron threads to the chicken. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest piece.
15 minStep 7: Stir in 2 tbsp lime or Seville orange juice, taste and serve with rice, scattered with the rest of ⅔ oz slivered almonds.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoresh-e porteghal take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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