This is a well-known Persian dish of chicken with a pomegranate and walnut sauce. Khoresht Fesenjan should be served with white rice.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 medium red onions, thinly sliced
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
- 2 cups hot water or as needed
- 2 ½ cups pomegranate juice
- 4 cups chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 medium butternut squash, seeded and cubed
- ¼ teaspoon saffron powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
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 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake, loosely covered, for 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Serve with white rice.
