Fesenjan is an amazingly delicious Persian stew. It's made by gently simmering tender, braised chicken in a sweet and tangy sauce created from ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses. It's perfect for special occasions or when you want an extraordinary culinary experience.
Toast the walnuts: Place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-high heat and toast until aromatic, stirring in between, about 10 minutes, or toast them in the oven at 350°F. Let them cool, then grind them in a food processor until very fine, using the pulse setting. But do not let it become a paste.
Bloom saffron: Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with a pinch of salt until powdered. Dissolve it in hot water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken leg quarters into halves if you prefer. Pat the pieces dry.
Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Raise the heat to high and brown both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. The goal is to brown only the surface without fully cooking the chicken. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Sauté onions: In the same oil, sauté the onions with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally until they turn light golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Cook the stew: Add the chicken back to the pot, followed by salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and stir. Add ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses with water, saffron water, and sugar.
Simmer: Combine everything, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and almost falls off the bone, for about 1 to 1½ hours. Add water (¼ cup at a time) if the sauce becomes too thick, making sure it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom.
Adjust seasonings: The sauce should be thick and dark brown, tasting sweet and sour. Adjust salt, pepper, pomegranate molasses, and sugar to your taste.
Serve: Skim off any excess oil, transfer the stew to a serving dish, and sprinkle fresh pomegranate arils on top. Serve hot with Persian saffron rice and salads.
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Notes
Roasting the walnuts is optional but enhances the flavor.
Skinless leg quarters work best for chicken. Duck is great for special occasions.
Meatballs can also be used — first cook sauce for about 45 minutes, then add meatballs and simmer for additional 15 minutes. Check other variations in the blog post above.
Storage: Fesenjan keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and freezes nicely. Reheat, adding some water if needed.
Pomegranate molasses can be found in Middle Eastern stores, online, or specialty food stores. Adjust the amount to your taste - start with ½ cup if this is new to you.
Homemade pomegranate molasses: Boil 4 cups of pomegranate juice. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, reducing it to one-fourth in volume. Add two pinches of salt while simmering. Sweeten with 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, or sugar. Adjust tartness with about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Flavor: You can add 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg if desired. Using chicken stock instead of water can enhance the flavor.
Oil: You can skim off about half of the cooking oil used, as the walnuts release some oil.