Persian Pomegranate-Walnut Chicken

9 Reviews
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Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 3 tablespoons sauce)
By Joan Nathan
April 2008
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

Based on the Persian dish fesenjan, this streamlined entrée features a sweet-tart sauce of pomegranate juice thickened with ground walnuts. After toasting, cool the nuts completely before grinding.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 8 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
  • Dash of ground cinnamon
  • Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 299
  • Caloriesfromfat 31%
  • Fat 10.3g
  • Satfat 1.3g
  • Monofat 1.6g
  • Polyfat 6.4g
  • Protein 41.7g
  • Carbohydrate 9g
  • Fiber 1.2g
  • Cholesterol 99mg
  • Iron 1.7mg
  • Sodium 585mg
  • Calcium 41mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Place walnuts in a food processor; process until finely ground. Set aside.

Step 2

Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

Step 3

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground walnuts, broth, and the remaining ingredients except cilantro, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pan; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

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Ratings & Reviews

brooklynb's Review

Hoopda
April 18, 2012
N/A

sharilou's Review

RootyToot
November 13, 2011
Based on reading the previous reviews, I used the nuts (pecans since that is what I had) plus some bread crumbs to coat the chicken, and left them out of the sauce. used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and just used the sauce to the side of the chicken. served with some naan and a simple salad with candied pumpkin seeds...pretty good!

Camden's Review

MeganS1
July 20, 2011
N/A

MeganS1's Review

Camden
January 02, 2011
This is a great recipe--great way to change up boring chicken with unique flavors. The cilantro helps to zip up the appearance of the sauce. Will be making this again.

DianeE's Review

sharilou
July 27, 2009
My guests and my husband liked it, but I did not. Color was extremely unappetizing, sauce did not adhere to chicken, chicken was tough.

Hoopda's Review

DianeE
June 29, 2009
Doesn't look very appetizing once cooked, but turned out great and vey juicy!

Kimberli's Review

brooklynb
February 14, 2009
I made this for my Parents and Grandparents for Valentines day they loved it, had it over rice

RootyToot's Review

Kimberli
January 11, 2009
Its strange to find a Persian recipe in a jewish seder, given the current political climate...but it was a good recipe. I used a whole pomegranate instead of the juice, squeezed 1/2 of it and added the rest in seed form - nice texture and pretty. I served it with brown rice. Everyone liked it but no raves. I'm not sure I'd make again.