August 9 2022 by Jill Wallentin![Jill Wallentin]()
, photo by Lenka Selinger![Lenka Selinger]()
, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE![Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE]()
in Recipes, Dinner, Meal
, photo by Lenka Selinger
, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
in Recipes, Dinner, Meal Quick ghorme sabzi with chicken (Persian herb stew)
This fragrant stew — often referred to as Iran's national dish — is traditionally made with lamb and slow-cooked for hours. We don't have time for that! We put our own spin on it using chicken and cut some clever corners to reduce the cooking time. Fenugreek and lime are key players in this unique dish, and fresh herbs add bright notes. This exquisite meal is high in protein, low carb, and dairy free — this king of all stews is a revelation!
USMetric
servingservings
Ingredients
The stew
- 1½ lbs 650 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) yellow onion, dicedyellow onions, diced
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 5 oz. (1½ cups) 140 g (325 ml) scallion, choppedscallions, chopped
- 5 oz. (9 cups) 140 g (2 liters) fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 oz. (7 cups) 110 g (1.6 liters) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 8 oz. (5⁄6 cup) 230 g (210 ml) kidney beans (canned), drained and rinsed
- ½ tbsp ½ tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp 1 tsp powdered dried fenugreek (kasoori methi) (optional)
- 1 1 lime, zest and juicelimes, zest and juice
- 2 cups 475 ml chicken stock
To serve
- ¾ cup (4¾ oz.) 180 ml (140 g) Greek yogurt (0% fat)
- 1 cup (3 oz.) 240 ml (90 g) fresh mint
- 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) red onion, wedgesred onions, wedges
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Making low carb simple
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and dice the yellow onion.
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
- Add the diced yellow onion, chicken thighs, salt, and pepper to the pot. Fry until the chicken starts to brown. Meanwhile, rinse and chop the scallions, parsley, and cilantro.
- Add the scallions, herbs, kidney beans, turmeric, fenugreek (if using), lime zest, and lime juice to the pot. Stir to combine. Add the chicken stock. Cover with a lid and lower the heat. Let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
- Serve the stew with fresh mint, Greek yogurt, and red onion wedges.
Tips
This dish can be made with a dried sabzi herb mix soaked in water and drained multiple times over 30 minutes. Substitute 5 oz (150 g) per 4 servings of the dried herb mix for the fresh herbs and scallions.
Traditionally, dried limes are pierced and added to the stew. As this is a simplified, quick version, the flavors will not have time to develop, so we're using fresh limes instead.
For an even heartier meal, try using lamb or beef, which is more authentic.
Slow cooker method
This can also be made in a slow cooker, making it perfect for meal prepping. After frying the meat and onion, add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for at least 3 hours on high.
That's high praise indeed! So glad this recipe was such a hit.
Yes, the measurements are correct. These shrink down quite a bit when cooking.