Khoresh Morgh Saadeh (خورش مرغ ساده) — Classic Persian Tomato and Cinnamon Chicken Stew
Khoresh Morgh Saadeh is a beloved Persian home stew where chicken gently braises in tomato, onion, and cinnamon. The finish of lemon brightens the sauce, making it a comforting, everyday dish often served with rice.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 95 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 900 g Chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless (about 6 small thighs)
- 250 g Yellow onion, finely sliced
- 12 g Garlic cloves, minced (about 3 cloves)
- 30 ml Vegetable oil (2 tbsp)
- 360 ml Tomato sauce (plain) (1 1/2 cups)
- 360 ml Water (1 1/2 cups)
- 10 g Fine sea salt (about 1 3/4 tsp)
- 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground (about 2 g)
- 1.5 tsp Ground cinnamon (about 4 g)
- 30 ml Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (2 tbsp)
- 500 g Potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks
Steps (summary)
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so it browns properly, then sprinkle it with 4 g of the salt (about 3/4 tsp) and all of t…
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear 4–5 m…
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the same pot. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is…
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 45–60 seconds until fragrant, keeping it from coloring too much. Add the ground cinnamon…
- Pour in the tomato sauce and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and loses its raw edge. This brief fryin…
- Return the chicken (and any juices) to the pot, then add the water and the remaining 6 g salt (about 1 tsp). Bring to a gentle…
+ 2 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
A staple of Persian weekday cooking, this “simple chicken khoresh” highlights the Iranian love of balanced sweet-warm spices with bright sour notes. It’s commonly served at family tables because it’s economical, comforting, and reliably crowd-pleasing.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- For a cleaner, brighter sauce, skim 15–30 ml of surface fat after simmering, especially if your chicken is not fully skinless.
- If the stew tastes sharp, simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes before adding lemon; reduction naturally sweetens tomato.
- Cut potatoes into large chunks (about 4 cm) so they hold their shape during the long simmer.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding lemon juice early and simmering it for a long time
✅ Fix: Stir lemon in at the end and simmer only 1 minute to keep the flavor bright and prevent bitterness.
❌ Boiling hard instead of gently simmering
✅ Fix: Keep a low simmer so the chicken stays tender and the sauce reduces gradually without breaking.
❌ Using small potato pieces that disintegrate
✅ Fix: Cut potatoes into 4 cm chunks and add them after the chicken has already simmered for 35 minutes.
🧊 How to Store
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat with 30–60 ml water to loosen the sauce, or microwave covered in 60-second bursts until piping hot.
📅 Make Ahead
Slice the onions and mince the garlic up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate separately. The stew itself tastes even better the next day; cook fully, chill, then reheat gently with 30–60 ml water to refresh the sauce.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Chelow (Persian steamed rice)
- tahdig
- torshi
- fresh herbs (sabzi khordan)
- Shirazi salad
Regional Variations
- Some households add 0.5 tsp turmeric with the onions for extra color and earthiness.
- In parts of northern Iran, a splash of brewed saffron water is added at the end for a more festive aroma.
- A few cooks replace part of the tomato sauce with 120 ml chicken stock for a lighter, less tomato-forward stew.
Ingredients
- 900 gChicken thighs, bone-in and skinless (about 6 small thighs)
- 250 gYellow onion, finely sliced
- 12 gGarlic cloves, minced (about 3 cloves)
- 30 mlVegetable oil (2 tbsp)
- 360 mlTomato sauce (plain) (1 1/2 cups)
- 360 mlWater (1 1/2 cups)
- 10 gFine sea salt (about 1 3/4 tsp)
- 1 tspBlack pepper, freshly ground (about 2 g)
- 1.5 tspGround cinnamon (about 4 g)
- 30 mlLemon juice, freshly squeezed (2 tbsp)
- 500 gPotatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks
🔄 Substitutions
- Chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless→ Chicken drumsticks
- Tomato sauce (plain)→ Crushed tomatoes
- Vegetable oil→ Ghee
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so it browns properly, then sprinkle it with 4 g of the salt (about 3/4 tsp) and all of the black pepper. Let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature to take the chill off and season evenly.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden, then transfer to a plate; this browning builds the stew’s signature depth.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion to the same pot. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and lightly caramelized; scrape up the browned bits from the bottom as it cooks.
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 45–60 seconds until fragrant, keeping it from coloring too much. Add the ground cinnamon and cook for another 30 seconds to bloom the spice and round out its aroma.
- 5
Pour in the tomato sauce and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and loses its raw edge. This brief frying step helps the sauce taste richer and prevents a flat, acidic finish.
- 6
Return the chicken (and any juices) to the pot, then add the water and the remaining 6 g salt (about 1 tsp). Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a low simmer and cover; cook for 35 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through.
- 7
Add the potato chunks, nestling them into the sauce so they are mostly submerged. Cover and simmer 25–30 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is fully cooked and yielding.
- 8
Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes to thicken the sauce to a spoon-coating consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, simmer 1 minute, then rest the stew off the heat for 10 minutes so the flavors settle and the sauce smooths out.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
A staple of Persian weekday cooking, this “simple chicken khoresh” highlights the Iranian love of balanced sweet-warm spices with bright sour notes. It’s commonly served at family tables because it’s economical, comforting, and reliably crowd-pleasing.
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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