Khoresh Fesenjan (Persian Chicken in Pomegranate-Walnut Sauce)

Steps

1. Step 1

   Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and a shade darker, 5 to 7 minutes. Tip onto a plate and let cool completely.

   7 min

   • 2 cups walnut halves and pieces
2. Step 2

   Grind the cooled walnuts in a food processor until they look like damp, fine sand and just begin to clump — about 1 minute, scraping down once or twice. Don't let them turn into butter.

   2 min

   • 2 cups walnut halves and pieces
3. Step 3

   Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the thighs skin side down, in two batches, 5 to 6 minutes per batch, until deep golden. Transfer to a plate; you don't need to brown the second side.

   15 min

   • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb)
   • kosher salt
   • black pepper
   • 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
4. Step 4

   Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds more.

   10 min

   • 1 large onion
   • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
   • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
5. Step 5

   Stir the crumbled saffron into the hot water in a small cup and set aside to bloom.

   • 1/4 tsp saffron threads
   • 2 tbsp hot water
6. Step 6

   Add the ground walnuts and the broth to the pot and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low, cover partly, and cook 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the walnuts don't catch on the bottom. The sauce will thicken and the walnut oil will start to rise.

   30 min, hands-off

   • 2 cups walnut halves and pieces
   • 3 cups chicken broth
7. Step 7

   Stir in the pomegranate molasses, honey and the saffron water. Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce skin side up along with any juices from the plate. Cover partly and simmer gently on low for 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce is thick, glossy and dark brown.

   45 min, hands-off

   • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb)
   • 1/4 tsp saffron threads
   • 2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
   • 1 tbsp honey
8. Step 8

   While the khoresh simmers, make the rice: combine the rinsed basmati, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat to low and cook 12 minutes. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fork in the butter.

   25 min

   • 2 cups basmati rice
   • 3 cups water
   • 1 tsp salt
   • 3 tbsp butter
9. Step 9

   Taste the sauce and balance it: it should be tart first, then sweet. Add more honey if it's sharp, a splash of pomegranate molasses if it's flat, and salt as needed. Serve the chicken and sauce over the buttered rice, scattered with pomegranate seeds.

   • kosher salt
   • 2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
   • 1 tbsp honey
   • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026