Video: Cooking Persian-Spiced Chicken Breasts with Louisa Shafia

Louisa shares her tips for cooking light(and simple!) Persian fare.
Article By: Lisa Chernick

A great addition to any cook's repertoire, this easy, weeknight dish is packed with bright, bold flavor. Use chicken breasts as Louisa does here, or try tofu or portobello mushroom caps for an equally delicious vegetarian version.

Ever tried sumac? This tart, citrusy, red powder is made from the berries of the sumac shrub. Once you taste it, you may wonder how you’ve ever cooked without it.

Turmeric Chicken

Adapted from The New Persian Kitchen (Ten Speed Press)

Simple and quick to prepare, this weeknight recipe still boasts all the exotic flavor of more elaborate Persian dishes.

Makes 4 servings
PointsPlus® value: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts (four 4-oz pieces)**
  • 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil**
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Sumac, for garnish
  • 2 juicy limes, halved

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix turmeric with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with spice mixture, turning to coat both sides.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Brown chicken well on both sides, about 7 minutes per side. Pour in water, then add garlic, stirring it into water. Bring water to a boil, then turn down heat to low and cover. Braise chicken for 25 minutes, until inside is opaque.
  3. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, turn up heat to high, and reduce cooking liquid for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until it’s slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour sauce over chicken. Dust chicken with sumac and pepper, garnish with lime halves, and serve.
Serving size: 1/4 of the recipe

Notes from the author

  • For a vegetarian option, use whole portobello mushroom caps or firm tofu, well drained and cut into slabs 1-inch thick. You may need a little extra oil for searing than what is called for in the recipe. May affect PointsPlus values.

**Notes from WeightWatchers.com

  • When calculating the PointsPlus values for this recipe:
    1. We used 1 tablespoon oil instead of 2, as mentioned in the book.
    2. Used skinless boneless breasts rather than thighs, as mentioned in the book.