Fesenjan is a Persian chicken stew prepared with slow-cooked chicken breasts or thighs, crushed walnuts, and pomegranate molasses.
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Fesenjan
Here’s an autumn stew! This dish for chicken stew with walnut and pomegranate sauce is a Persian cookery classic known as Fesenjan.
Chicken pieces are fried first, then slowly simmered in a sauce made with ground toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses. You wouldn’t ordinarily think to make a sauce with walnuts and pomegranates, but it’s an excellent combination!
The roasted walnuts are thick and toasty, while the pomegranate molasses is crisp and berry-toned. The sauce tastes fantastic when cooked gently with the chicken. Bowl-licking excellent.
The only item that could be difficult to acquire at your local grocery shop is pomegranate molasses. You may create your own with pomegranate juice (see our pomegranate molasses recipe), or you can buy it at Whole Foods or a Middle Eastern grocery shop.
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Fesenjan
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 large yellow onions chopped, (3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 8 ounces walnut halves about 2 cups
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts trimmed of excess fat, cut into medium size pieces, patted dry and salted
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils for garnish optional
Instructions
- There are two methods for toasting and grinding walnuts. You may toast them in a single layer in a big pan over medium-high heat, turning regularly, until gently browned, or spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet with a rim and toast in the oven at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
- In any instance, after toasted, remove from heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, use a food processor or blender to finely grind.
- Brown the chicken on all sides.
- In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
- When the butter has melted, pat the chicken pieces dry again before placing them in the pan, working in batches if required to avoid crowding, and cooking until golden brown on both sides. Salt the chicken while it’s cooking.
- Sauté the onions. Remove the chicken from the skillet with a slotted spoon or tongs and put aside. Add a spoonful of butter and a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped onions to the skillet and sauté until transparent, turning occasionally to remove any browned pieces from the bottom.
- Return the chicken and stock to the pan, along with the onions. Pour two cups of chicken stock over the chicken and onions. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 30 minutes.
- Add ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, sugar, and spices. Cover and simmer.
- Combine the ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, sugar, and spices. Cover and simmer for 1 hour over very low heat, stirring every 20 minutes or so to keep the walnuts from adhering to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from the fire and adjust the sugar and salt to taste. At this time, the chicken should be fall-apart tender.
- Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds. Serve with Parsi pulao or other favorite rice.