🍲 Fesenjan

Name: Fesenjan
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Iran · Gilan
Ingredients: 700 g chicken thighs, skinless; 250 g walnuts, finely ground; 120 ml pomegranate molasses; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1–2 tbsp sugar, to taste; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 500 ml water; salt, pepper, a pinch of turmeric

Origin: Iran · Gilan

735kcal

per serving · 350 g

210kcal

per 100 g

38 gProtein11 g / 100 g

52 gFat15 g / 100 g

32 gCarbs9 g / 100 g

Fesenjan is a Persian stew of chicken simmered in a thick sauce of finely ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Long, slow cooking draws oil from the walnuts and turns the sauce dark brown and glossy, with a balance of sweet and sour that cooks adjust with a little sugar. It is served with plain saffron rice and is a classic dish for celebrations and the Yalda winter-solstice night.

Diets

✓

No porkfor halal, the meat must be halal-slaughtered

✓

Gluten-freeno wheat, barley or rye in a typical recipe

✓

Dairy-freeno milk, cheese, butter or yogurt in a typical recipe

✓

Low-carb9 g carbs per 100 g

Not vegetarianbecause of: chicken

Not veganbecause of: chicken

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Tree nuts

What it is made of

chickenwalnutspomegranate molassesonionsugaroil

Recipe

4 servings150 min

Ingredients

700 g chicken thighs, skinless
250 g walnuts, finely ground
120 ml pomegranate molasses
1 large onion, finely chopped
1–2 tbsp sugar, to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
500 ml water
salt, pepper, a pinch of turmeric

Method

Toast the ground walnuts in a dry pot over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the water and simmer the walnuts on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring often.
Meanwhile soften the onion in the oil, add the chicken and turmeric and brown lightly.
Add the chicken and onion, pomegranate molasses and sugar to the walnut sauce.
Simmer covered for 45–60 minutes until the sauce is dark and thick; balance sweet and sour and season.

How to make it lighter

Walnuts are the main source of calories here: use 150 g instead of 250 g and thin the sauce with a little more water.
Skip the sugar or reduce it to a teaspoon and let the pomegranate molasses carry the flavour.
Serve a small scoop of rice and add a side of fresh herbs and salad.

History

Fesenjan is usually associated with the Caspian province of Gilan in northern Iran, where walnut and pomegranate trees grow, and duck was a traditional choice of meat there. Today chicken is the most common version across Iran, and the dish is also popular in Iraq and among the Persian diaspora.

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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →