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Khoresh Fessenjan (Walnut Chicken Stew)

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. walnut halves, about 2 cups
  • 2 large yellow onion, sliced thin
  • 2 lb. skinless chicken drumsticks or thighs
  • 2 1/4 cups cold water
  • 1 cup pomegranate concentrate
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  • Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place walnuts in food processor and process until it turns to a tan-colored paste.
  2. With the food processor running, add 1/4 cup cold water through the feed chute. Continue processing until the paste becomes uniformly beige in color.
  3. Fry the sliced onions with 3-4 tbsp. vegetable oil in a 6-quart stockpot until golden brown. Remove from the pot.
  4. Add chicken to the same stockpot and top it with the fried onions.
  5. Spoon the walnut paste evenly over the fried onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  6. Drizzle the pomegranate concentrate over all the ingredients and add 2 cups water.
  7. Bring to a boil over medium heat. The pomegranate concentrate tends to stick and burn fairly quickly so avoid high heat.
  8. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
  9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork-tender and falls off the bone. Stir every 15 minutes or so to make sure the sauce does not stick to the pot. If at the end of this time period, the sauce has not thickened enough, leave the pot uncovered for about 10 minutes on low heat for a thicker sauce. If the sauce is too tart for your taste, add a few tablespoons of sugar.
  10. Transfer the Fessenjan to a serving dish and sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top as garnish.
  11. Serve over white Persian steamed rice.