Khorak Morgh ba Chashni-ye Somagh (خوراک مرغ با چاشنی سماق) — Persian Sumac-Braised Chicken
Khorak morgh with sumac seasoning is a home-style Iranian dish with sumac’s tangy, earthy flavor and the fragrance of fresh lemon. The chicken is gently braised with sautéed onions and garlic until it develops a thick, richly colored sauce to serve alongside rice or bread.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 110 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 1000 g Chicken, bone-in pieces (thighs and drumsticks) (skin removed for a lighter braise)
- 10 g Salt (divided)
- 2 g Black pepper, freshly ground (about 1 tsp)
- 18 g Sumac powder (about 2 tbsp, plus extra for serving if desired)
- 45 ml Fresh lemon juice (about 3 tbsp, divided)
- 300 g Onion, thinly sliced (about 2 medium onions)
- 12 g Garlic cloves, minced (about 4 cloves)
- 30 ml Olive oil (2 tbsp)
- 360 ml Water (1 1/2 cups, hot)
- 20 g Fresh parsley, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup loosely packed)
Steps (summary)
- Pat the chicken dry. Season all sides with 6 g salt and all the black pepper. In a bowl, mix 12 g sumac with 30 ml lemon juice…
- Heat a wide heavy pot over medium-high for 2 minutes. Add olive oil and warm 30 seconds. Lay chicken pieces in a single layer a…
- Lower heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the same pot and sauté 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply softened and pale-…
- Return chicken and any juices to the pot, nestling pieces into the onions. Sprinkle in the remaining 6 g salt and remaining 6 g…
- Uncover and simmer 12–18 minutes over medium-low to reduce the sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the re…
- Rest off-heat, covered, for 10 minutes so the juices settle and the onions thicken the sauce naturally. Serve the chicken toppe…
Cultural Background
Sumac is a beloved condiment on the Iranian table, often served alongside kebabs or meat dishes to add a bright, pleasantly tart note and a deep red hue. This stew reflects the spirit of Iranian home cooking: slowly caramelized onions, balanced sourness, and a sauce that patiently reduces and comes together over time.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use a wide pot so the onions caramelize instead of steaming; this gives the sauce body without flour.
- If your sumac is very tart, reduce to 15 g total and add the rest at the table; older sumac can be dull and needs the full 18 g.
- Hot water keeps the braise from stalling; cold water can toughen chicken briefly and lengthen cooking time.
- For cleaner flavor, skim any excess fat from the surface during the uncovered reduction stage.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding lemon juice at the beginning and boiling hard
💡 Why: High heat plus acid can tighten proteins and make the sauce taste sharp rather than bright.
✅ Fix: Braise at a gentle simmer and add part of the lemon juice at the end during reduction.
❌ Burning the garlic
💡 Why: Garlic turns bitter quickly and will dominate the delicate sumac aroma.
✅ Fix: Add garlic after onions soften and cook only 60–90 seconds before adding liquid.
❌ Skipping the uncovered reduction
💡 Why: The sauce stays watery and won’t cling to the chicken; flavor tastes diluted.
✅ Fix: Uncover and simmer 12–18 minutes until the onion-rich sauce coats a spoon.
❌ Using stale sumac
💡 Why: Old sumac loses its citrusy top notes and can taste dusty.
✅ Fix: Buy from a high-turnover spice shop, store airtight away from heat, and add a small finishing sprinkle at serving.
🧊 How to Store
Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat gently covered on low with 30–60 ml water to loosen the sauce. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
📅 Make Ahead
Marinate the chicken with sumac and lemon up to 12 hours ahead (refrigerated). The full dish tastes even better the next day; cook completely, chill, then reheat gently covered on low for 15–20 minutes, adding 30–60 ml water if needed.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Chelow (steamed Persian rice)
- Tahdig
- Lavash or sangak bread
- Shirazi salad
- Torshi (Persian pickles)
Regional Variations
- Tehran (home-style)Often made as a simple khoorak with lots of softened onions and served with chelow; extra sumac is sprinkled at the table, similar to kebab service.
- Azerbaijan (Northwest Iran)Some cooks add a touch more sumac and a longer reduction for a darker, more robust sauce; it may be served with bread to soak up the tangy onion gravy.
Ingredients
- 1000 gChicken, bone-in pieces (thighs and drumsticks) (skin removed for a lighter braise)
- 10 gSalt (divided)
- 2 gBlack pepper, freshly ground (about 1 tsp)
- 18 gSumac powder (about 2 tbsp, plus extra for serving if desired)
- 45 mlFresh lemon juice (about 3 tbsp, divided)
- 300 gOnion, thinly sliced (about 2 medium onions)
- 12 gGarlic cloves, minced (about 4 cloves)
- 30 mlOlive oil (2 tbsp)
- 360 mlWater (1 1/2 cups, hot)
- 20 gFresh parsley, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup loosely packed)
🔄 Substitutions
- Olive oil→ Ghee (roghan-e heyvani) 20 g
- Chicken, bone-in pieces→ Boneless chicken thighs 800 g
- Fresh lemon juice→ Ab-ghooreh (verjuice) 45 ml
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry. Season all sides with 6 g salt and all the black pepper. In a bowl, mix 12 g sumac with 30 ml lemon juice to form a loose paste; rub it over the chicken. Cover and marinate 20 minutes at room temperature (or 2 hours refrigerated), then let it sit 10 minutes before cooking.
- 2
Heat a wide heavy pot over medium-high for 2 minutes. Add olive oil and warm 30 seconds. Lay chicken pieces in a single layer and sear 4–5 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate; do not wash the pot—those browned bits will deepen the braising sauce.
- 3
Lower heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the same pot and sauté 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply softened and pale-golden. Add minced garlic and cook 60–90 seconds until fragrant, keeping it from browning. Scrape the bottom to dissolve the fond into the onions.
- 4
Return chicken and any juices to the pot, nestling pieces into the onions. Sprinkle in the remaining 6 g salt and remaining 6 g sumac. Pour in 360 ml hot water, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Braise 45 minutes, turning chicken once at the 25-minute mark.
- 5
Uncover and simmer 12–18 minutes over medium-low to reduce the sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the remaining 15 ml lemon juice and half the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust with up to 2 g more salt only if needed; sumac should stay bright, not bitter.
- 6
Rest off-heat, covered, for 10 minutes so the juices settle and the onions thicken the sauce naturally. Serve the chicken topped with the remaining parsley and, if you like, an extra 3–5 g sumac sprinkled at the table for that classic Persian tang and crimson color.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Sumac is a beloved condiment on the Iranian table, often served alongside kebabs or meat dishes to add a bright, pleasantly tart note and a deep red hue. This stew reflects the spirit of Iranian home cooking: slowly caramelized onions, balanced sourness, and a sauce that patiently reduces and comes together over time.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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