Chicken In Pomegranate Walnut Sauce Recipes

FESENJAN -PERSIAN STEW WITH WALNUTS AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Heat a dutch oven over medium-low heat and toast the walnuts, stirring every couple minutes, until golden, roughly 10 minutes. At the same time, chop the onions and garlic. Cut the chicken ( if using) into 1 inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Drain and rinse chickpeas if using.
• Set toasted walnuts on a plate to cool. Then place in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Wipe out the Dutch oven and drizzle with a little oil and sear the chicken until golden. Set aside. Using the same pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, golden and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 3-4 more minutes. When onion garlic mixture is deeply golden, add the cinnamon stick, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and orange zest, and toast for 1-2 more minutes.
• Add the broth, sraping up any browned bits. Add pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt, the seared chicken, ground walnuts and bring to a boil, stirring.
• Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes, covered, stirring every 15 mins.
• Uncover, add chickpeas, and continue simmering until the stew has thickened and reduced, 10-15 more minutes, stirring.
• Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley.
• Serve with saffron-infused basmati rice, quinoa, or Persian Rice.

FESENJAN (PERSIAN POMEGRANATE CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Toast and grind the walnuts: You can toast the walnuts in one of two ways. You can either spread them out in a single layer in a large skillet, and toast them on medium high heat, stirring frequently until lightly toasted, OR you can spread them out in a single layer in a baking rimmed baking sheet, and toast at 350°F in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. In either case, once toasted, remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, pulse in a food processor or blender until finely ground.
• Brown the chicken pieces on all sides: In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, pat the chicken pieces dry again and place the chicken pieces in the pan, working in batches if necessary to not crowd the pan, and cook until golden brown on all sides. Sprinkle the chicken with salt while they are cooking.
• Sauté the onions: Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken from the pan, set aside. Add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Lower the heat to medium low. Add chopped onions to the pan and sauté until translucent, stirring on occasion to release the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add chicken and stock: Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the onions. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock over the chicken and onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Add ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, sugar, spices, cover and cook: Stir in the ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, sugar, and spices. Cover and cook on very low heat for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so to prevent the walnuts from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and adjust sugar/salt to taste. At this point the chicken should be fall apart tender.
• Serve: Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve over parsi pulao or other favorite rice. Links: Slow cooker pomegranate chicken salad from Lydia of The Perfect Pantry

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken (taking care to remove any visible fat first as it will turn gummy), shallots, garlic, ginger, and walnuts and set aside. Portion out spices and set aside. This recipe moves quickly, so prepped mis-en-place is useful.
• Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the coconut oil, and heat until it shimmers.
• Add the diced chicken to the dutch oven, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, and sautee, stirring frequently, until browned and no longer pink.
• Add the shallot to the dutch oven, toss to with the chicken, and sautee until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Make a small clearing in the center of the dutch oven and add the garlic and ginger. Sautee, stirring continuously, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the spices, salt, and pepper, stirring throughly into the chicken, and sautee until toasted and fragrant.
• Add the walnuts and stir into the chicken. Add the pomegranate juice, continuously scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the dutch oven until the juice stops bubbling. Add the coconut milk and honey, then once again stir all ingredients together.
• Allow the liquid to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Crack the lid and simmer an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the chicken is starting to fall apart. Stir occasionally throughout these 30 minutes to prevent scorching.
• Ladle the chicken over steamed rice, couscous, cauliflower rice, or your base of choice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley. Serve immediately. Leftovers keep in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

PERSIAN CHICKEN OR DUCK IN POMEGRANATE WALNUT SAUCE (FESENJAN)

Steps:

• Sprinkle meat with lime juice and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours.
• Over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat an 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of the butter or oil until shimmering.
• Add the chicken/duck pieces a few at a time and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.
• Add onions (and eggplant if using - see notes in description) and sauté in remaining butter or oil until translucent.
• Stir in ground walnuts and saute for 1/2 a minute.
• Add stock or water and browned chicken/duck pieces. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes.
• Stir in the pomegranate juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Sauce should have a balanced sweet-sour flavor. See notes to adjust.
• Simmer another 15-20 minutes until the chicken/duck is tender, sauce is somewhat thickened and the walnuts begin to give off their oil. Serve with plain white rice.

KHORESHT FESENJAAN (CHICKEN WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in sliced onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
• Raise heat to medium-high. Add chicken pieces, and fry until lightly browned on the outside. Pour in the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary to keep the mixture from drying out.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (65 degrees C).
• Combine the walnuts and pomegranate juice in the container of a blender or food processor. Process into liquid. (This can be done in small batches if necessary.) Add walnut-pomegranate mixture to the simmering chicken. Season with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron powder, and salt. Stir in the cubed squash. Transfer the entire mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake, loosely covered, for 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Serve with white rice.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WALNUT-POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• For Sauce: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes. Add walnuts. Sauté until nuts are slightly darkened, about 12 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made one day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm, thinning with more broth if desired.).
• For Chicken: Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Mix molasses and cinnamon. Brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook chicken glazing in the last minutes of cooking.

WALNUT CHICKEN WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Finely chop walnuts with flour in processor. Transfer to plate. Pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Dip chicken into beaten egg, then into walnut mixture to coat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
• Boil wine and shallots in heavy small saucepan until most of wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add broth, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses and honey. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

WALNUT CHICKEN STRIPS WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the chicken strips: On a work surface, place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper. Using smooth side of a meat mallet, flatten to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 1/2-by-3-inch strips.
• Place walnuts, flour, salt, cinnamon, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until finely chopped and well combined; transfer to a shallow bowl. Pour cream into another shallow bowl.
• Dip chicken strips in cream with one hand, letting excess drip off; using your other hand, dredge in flour mixture, turning to coat both sides, and tapping off excess. Place on a baking sheet.
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken strips; cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Wipe skillet with paper towels, and repeat with remaining chicken, adding 2 tablespoons oil with each batch.
• Transfer baking sheet with chicken to the oven, and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt butter in a clean skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and walnuts, and cook until shallots are tender and nuts are golden, about 2 minutes. Add wine; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add 1 1/4 cups chicken stock, and pomegranate juice and molasses. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock and flour until well combined. Stir into sauce, and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute more. Stir in pomegranate seeds, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with chicken strips.