Description
This pomegranate chicken with walnuts is rich, tangy, warmly spiced, and surprisingly simple to prepare. Bone-in chicken is simmered with golden onions, toasted walnuts, and a homemade pomegranate reduction, creating a deeply flavorful sauce with savory, tart, and subtly sweet notes. Served with fragrant saffron cauliflower rice, fresh mint, and pomegranate arils, it’s a beautiful, nourishing adaptation inspired by Persian fesenjan.
Ingredients
For the pomegranate reduction
- Arils from 2 medium pomegranates, about 1 1/2 cups (reserve a few for serving)
- 3 cloves
- 1-2 teaspoons allulose or another sweetener
For the chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs
- 3 large yellow onions, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 heaping cup ground walnuts
For the saffron cauliflower rice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound (about 450 grams) frozen cauliflower rice (fresh also works)
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For serving
- Fresh mint leaves
- Reserved pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Make the pomegranate reduction. Blend the pomegranate arils in a high-powered blender until completely broken down. Strain through a fine sieve, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag, pressing well to extract as much juice as possible. Transfer the pomegranate juice to a saucepan and add the cloves and allulose (or your favorite sweetener). Simmer over low heat until the juice has reduced by half. Set aside.
- Prepare the walnuts. Lightly toast the whole walnuts in a dry pan. Transfer them to a food processor and pulse until they have the texture of a coarse flour.
- Brown the chicken. Season the chicken with salt. Heat the olive oil in a stew pot or deep pan and sear the chicken on all sides until it develops a golden crust (you don’t have to fully cook it). Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Cook the onions. Add the chopped onions to the same pot and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until soft, fragrant, and golden.
- Simmer the chicken. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, and stock, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Finish the sauce. Add the ground walnuts and pomegranate reduction and stir well. Cover and simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and reduced by approximately half. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the saffron cauliflower rice. While the chicken is finishing cooking, place the saffron in a small bowl, add a little hot water, and allow it to infuse for a few minutes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the fresh or frozen cauliflower rice, and sauté until it reaches your preferred texture. I like to keep it slightly al dente, and it takes about 7 minutes if it’s frozen and 5 minutes if it’s fresh.
- Add saffron. When the cauliflower rice is nearly done, add the mustard powder and saffron water. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Spoon the saffron cauliflower rice onto the plates and top with the chicken and pomegranate-walnut sauce. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and the reserved pomegranate arils.
Notes
The pomegranate reduction can be prepared one day in advance and stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
When grinding the walnuts, stop once they resemble coarse flour. Overprocessing can turn them into walnut butter.
Both fresh and frozen cauliflower rice work well. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw it first.
