{Khoresh-e Fesenjān} Persian Chicken Stew Recipe — Salt & Wind Travel (2024)

• 2 1/2 cups walnut halves (about 10 ounces)
• 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 kosher salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 3 cups 100% unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 medium yellow onions finely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts for garnish
• pomegranate seeds for garnish
• Roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
• Steamed Rice or other grain for serving

• Toast The Walnuts: Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until golden and toasted smelling, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven until cool enough to handle then pulse in a food processor until ground into a fine meal.

• Prepare The Chicken: Meanwhile, use a paper towel to pull off any skin and any excess fat from the chicken thighs. Mix together the coriander, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and rub into the chicken thighs.

• Simmer The Pomegranate Sauce: Combine the pomegranate juice and brown sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. When the juice is reduced, remove from heat and set aside.

• Sear The Chicken: Meanwhile, begin cooking the chicken. Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add chicken to the pan, working in batches, so it’s in a single layer and not crowded.

  Cook chicken until it’s golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side, or until golden and seared. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken.

• Cook The Onions: Remove and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture from the pan. Add onions to the pan, reduce heat to medium, season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

• Braise The Chicken: Add the reduced pomegranate juice mixture, ground toasted walnuts, and chicken. Cook on low heat for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent the walnuts from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Check to make sure the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked through and knife tender.

• Garnish The Stew: Remove from heat and adjust sugar and salt to taste. Serve over grains and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate arils, and parsley.

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