Pomegranate Chicken Or Duck Recipes

POMEGRANATE SKILLET CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400.
• Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, season with salt and let sit while you make the marinade (up to 30 min is ideal).
• Whisk together olive oil, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, honey, balsamic, lemon and garlic. Pour marinade over chicken, either in a bowl, glass Tupperware, or resealable plastic bag. Spread the marinade around so all the chicken is evenly coated and let sit at least 30min and up to over night in the fridge.
• To cook, place chicken skin side up in a roasting dish, then pour the marinade over the meat. The marinade should generously cover the bottom of the pan.
• Cook until the chicken is tender at the bone and a meat or instant read thermometer reaches 165 when inserted inserted in the thickest part (about 25 minutes for breasts and 45 for thighs. If using both light and dark meat, remove the breasts while the thighs keep cooking then return the breasts to the pan in the oven once the thighs are done.
• Crank the oven to 450 and let the sauce reduce and the skin get dark brown and crispy, about 12 min longer. Brush the chicken with the marinade from the pan every 3-4 minutes to glaze them.
• Serve warm and garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
• Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 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.

KHORESH FESENJAN | PERSIAN POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toast the shelled walnuts in a 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, turning and watching closely to avoid burning the nuts. It should give off a nutty smell, that is when you will know it is golden and toasted.
• Allow the nuts to cool slightly then add them to a food processor. Give the Cuisinart about 10 quick pulses or grind for about 10 seconds. The nuts should be finely chopped but stop before nut paste forms.
• Add olive oil to the Instant pot and heat it on the saute mode for about 1 minute
• Add chopped onions and all of the spices, cook and stir for 5-7 minutes until the onions are translucent (stir constantly so to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot)
• Add broth, chicken, pomegranate molasses, and juices
• Layer on the walnuts
• Clear our the Instant pot by pressing 'Keep warm/cancel'
• Be sure that the pressure valve is toggled to 'Sealing' (not 'Venting') and click on 'Meat/Stew' then reduce the time down to 15 minutes by clicking on the minus symbol. Lastly, click on 'meat/stew' again to get the pressure cooker started.
• The Instant pot will beep when it's done cooking. At this point, you can either sit and wait for a natural release of pressure (about 15 to 20 minutes), or do a 'quick release'. To 'quick release' turn the pressure valve to 'Vent' and wait for all of the steam to come out (about 2 minutes). In either method, wait until the red steam indicator drops down. Then it is ok to open the lid.
• Clear out the Instant Pot and select 'Saute'. Bring the stew back up to a boil and allow the extra liquid to cook off (10 to 15 minutes). Clear out the Instant pot and allow the stew to cool a bit.
• Serve on top of a bed of cooked Basmati white rice and garnish with fresh pomegranate arils.

EXOTIC POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix the cumin, coriander, herbes de Provence, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. Place the chicken and garlic in a bowl; sprinkle about 2/3 of the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Transfer the chicken to a resealable plastic bag. Pour in the pomegranate juice. Seal and refrigerate at least 12 hours. Remove the chicken from the bag, reserving the marinade.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with the remaining spice mixture and salt. Coat with olive oil, then arrange the chicken in a large baking dish in one layer.
• Bake the drumsticks until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 45 to 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• While the chicken is baking, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering until reduced by 2/3. Stir often. Pour over chicken before serving.

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir pomegranate juice, brown sugar, vinegar, and garlic together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard garlic, then stir in lime juice and let cool 5 minutes. Set aside 6 tablespoons pomegranate syrup.
• Poke several holes in lime with a fork and insert into chicken cavity along with onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, pepper, and rosemary. Tie legs together with kitchen string, sprinkle skin with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then transfer chicken, breast side up, to a roasting pan.
• Roast chicken, basting with pomegranate syrup every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts of all pieces registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour total. Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve drizzled with reserved pomegranate syrup.