Persian Chicken with Walnuts & Pomegranate

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 45 minutes + cooling time
  • Servings: 4
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Serve Persian chicken with walnuts & pomegranate with beautiful studded jewel rice.

Ingredients

  • 1.5k free-range chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
  • 1/3 cup (65g) coarsely chopped dried figs, or raisins
  • ½ cup (35g) walnut kernels
  • 2 tablespoons  besan (chick pea flour)
  • 1 tablespoon  pomegranate molasses
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric or good pinch saffron threads
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pomegranate

 

Jewel rice

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 1 ½  cups chicken stock
  • 100g dried fruit medley
  • 50g pine nuts, toasted
  • 30g pistachio kernels, chopped roughly

Instructions

  1. Wash chicken and pat dry.
  2. For chicken stuffing: Heat medium frying pan over medium high heat and add oil and then onions. After a minute or two add the garlic. When translucent but not brown, remove half the onions and reserve. Add cardamom, walnuts and flour to onions still in pan. Stir well then add pomegranate molasses and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. Fill chicken cavity with the stuffing and enclose by skewering the two sides of chicken skin together.
  4. Place remaining onions, 2 cups water, turmeric, salt and pepper in a deep pot, large enough to get chicken in and out easily. Put chicken in breast side down. If necessary top up with water so liquid comes halfway up the chicken. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook on medium for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over (this ensures the whole chicken is golden) and cook for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pot, test with a skewer through the thickest part of the leg to ensure it is cooked. If juices do not run clear, return chicken to pot and cook for longer.
  5. While chicken rests, increase heat under the liquid left in the pot and simmer to reduce for 5 – 10 minutes depending on the amount of water you added. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.
  6. Meanwhile to cook jewel rice: heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and cook onion until softened. Add the rice and stir well to toast. Add chicken stock, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 mins. Stir through the fruit and if it seems a bit dry, add more stock or water. Cook another 5 mins or until rice is soft. Stir through the nuts and serve immediately.
  7. Carve chicken or serve whole, covered in sauce. Cut pomegranate in half and bash to remove seeds and scatter over chicken.

Notes

Lyndey’s Note: Besan flour is available in health food stores. Alternatively you could replace this with buckwheat flour or fresh breadcrumbs.

Recipe created for Selector Magazine Autumn 2013

Related Recipe:
French Bistro Style chicken with Smashed Potatoes and a Spring Salad
Lyndey Milan’s Christmas roast chicken

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