This is khoresh fesenjoon, another national culinary treasure of Iran. There are few dishes that bring as much pleasure and joy as fesenjoon. It is inherently simple, showcasing a perfect balance of straightforward yet deeply flavorful ingredients that are abundant in Iran, making it a true celebration of the country’s natural resources.
The dish begins with walnuts ground into a coarse powder and features lightly browned pieces of chicken, patiently cooked until tender in a rich pomegranate sauce. Choosing the highest quality ingredients will ensure you create the best fesenjoon in town.
Pomegranate
The tradition of making homemade pomegranate paste persists in some families, but increasingly, people are buying pomegranate products, even in Iran. While this quintessential Iranian fruit has made its way into kitchens across the U.S. and the globe, it’s quite expensive. I acknowledge that the pomegranate I bought for this recipe was out of season, but I paid nearly $6 for just one. At that price, I will definitely not be making my own pomegranate paste; I’d quickly need a second mortgage on our house!
So what to do? Worry not. After teaching Persian cooking classes for over twenty years, I am incredibly proud to have influenced my local grocery cooperative to introduce pomegranate paste onto its shelves and into American homes. That said, not all pomegranate products are created equal.
If you visit a West Asian or Iranian market, you will find a range of pomegranate products, including paste, molasses, and concentrates. To make matters even more interesting, different brands vary widely in consistency, and their flavor profiles can range from intensely sour to noticeably sweet.
The two brands I am most familiar with and use most often are Cortas and Sadaf. Both are rich and flavorful, but they differ in important ways. Cortas is thicker and denser, with a sharp, tart flavor. Sadaf, on the other hand, is a clear, thick syrup with less acidity and more sweetness. When using Cortas in this dish, I typically use about half a cup and balance the tartness with sugar. When using Sadaf, I use about one cup and do not add any sugar.
Walnuts
II purchase my walnuts from the bulk department at my grocery co-op, opting for them over the pre-packaged ones on the shelf. The bulk section has a quicker turnover, which means the walnuts are less likely to go stale or become rancid.
With the rise of food allergies and sensitivities, nuts often top the list of foods people need to avoid. So, what can you do if you have a walnut allergy or intolerance?
Let me tell you a story!
Recently, while traveling Asia, I met a lovely soul in Seoul with whom I discovered a shared, distant, and somewhat forgotten history. We both grew up in Iran in the mid-1970s, and she, a farangie (foreigner in Persian) from Europe, was experiencing Iran and Tajrish, a neighborhood of Tehran, much as I was. We both remember our moms watching Julia Child’s cooking show on the American TV channel.
Since our encounter in Seoul, we have maintained our connection, and we reminisce about what we each remember from our time in Iran, though hers was much shorter than mine. She tells me what food adventures she is up to and what Persian food she is making, and I tell her about the next recipe on the blog, and share pictures.
Talking with my “Seoul-mate”, I discovered recently that she cannot tolerate walnuts and is therefore unable to indulge in fesenjoon. So naturally, we explored how this recipe can be adapted to suit various dietary needs and restrictions.
Fortunately, fesenjoon is a highly adaptable dish that can be made with pistachios or almonds instead of walnuts. Chicken can be swapped out for duck or beef meatballs. Meat can be eliminated altogether and substituted with butternut squash or mushrooms.
As for the chicken, I am 100% for free-range, organically and ethically raised ones.
Khoresh Fesenjoon
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, with skin and bone on
- 4 tablespoons netural oil, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 to 1 cup pomegranate molasses, amount varies based on different brands
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground
- 1/8 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional and as needed
- 1-4 tablespoons sugar, optional and as needed
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until it becomes golden and crispy, 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the pot and set it aside. You can leave the chicken fat in the pot or remove it. However, if you decide to discard the fat, you will need to add 2 more tablespoons of oil to sauté the onions in the next step.
- Toss in the onions and saute for 10 minutes until lightly brown.
- While the onions are cooking, in a food processor pulse the walnuts until finely ground. Don’t overdo it, otherwise, you will have walnut butter. Set aside.
- Add the ground walnuts to the pan with onions and stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- Add the water, pomegranate molasses, salt, and pepper and stir to incorporate all the items into the pan.
- Now return the chicken and any accumulated juice to the pan and press them down to fully immerse them into the sauce.
- Cover, keep the flame on low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Take extra care and stir occasionally to prevent this thick stew from burning on the bottom.
- Taste and make any necessary adjustments by adding more pomegranate molasses if needed. You're aiming for a robust pomegranate flavor with a balanced sweet and tart profile.
- Continue to simmer for another 45-60 minutes. The stew should have turned into a deep maroon color and the chicken should be fork tender.
- Add the saffron water, stir, and taste one more time and make any last minute adjustments by adding more sugar or lemon juice, if desired.
- Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with steamed Persian saffron basmati rice.
Hi, I use your recipe. the color of my Fesenjoon become very dark. how can i make it lighter
Fesenjoon is usually a darker dish, but the color can vary depending on the brand of pomegranate molasses, since each has a different concentration. If you’d like a lighter version, just use a bit less pomegranate molasses. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your prompt reply. But I already made it and it became dark. Can I add some extra saffron or tomato paste to change the color lighter?
This is one of my favorite recipes to make after my dear Iranian friend made it for us last year. My toddler even loves it which is fantastic. Thank you!
This is one of my favorite recipes to make after my dear Iranian friend made it for us last year. My toddler even loves it which is fantastic.
Thank you!
There was no mention of Saffron water in the ingredients list. How much is required for this delicious dish?
Hi Annie, saffron is listed right below salt and pepper. It is 1/8 teaspoon of ground saffron. Enjoy!
I’m planning to make this Iran dish right in the middle of Europe, pomegranates are quite expensive and hardly ever sweet, but when they are sweet I really love them.
I want to follow your recipe, as it looks incredible, just, I saw many people use turmeric as they say without it, it cannot even be called an Iran dish. What do you think, have you ever tried it?
I think I will use only chicken breasts, how long should I cook them in the sauce? Thank you! All the the best!
Hi Sabina, while I use turmeric for a great majority of my Iranian stews, I don’t use it for this dish. But that’s my just my preference. Chicken breasts work perfectly fine for this dish, though they won’t be as moist as the thighs. The time will really depend on the size of the breast, however, I will cook it the same way as the thighs. Keep in mind that the sauce is quite a lengthy process! Hope you enjoy it!
Hi! I have made fesenjoon before but not your recipe–I will use it as a guide tomorrow.
I was wondering if you’ve ever tried it with pecans? I was thinking of trying it with some proportion pecans, just for fun. (Or maybe zeitoun parvardeh would be a less risky thing to try with it first!)
Thank you!!
I have not tried it with pecans, but it could be quite promising!
Hi I am thinking of making this over the weekend. We tend to purchase boneless chicken thighs. Would that still work and what do I need to adjust. I’m curious if it won’t taste as good as it will most likely need a shorter cooking time.
Hi Manisha, boneless chicken thighs would be just fine! You may only need to reduce the initial cooking time by 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!
Thank you for this! I followed the recipe to a “T” but without meat, and my dish is very thick. How can I make it thinner?
Hello Noor, chicken naturally adds some liquid to the dish, so when eliminating it you would adjust the consistency of the stew by adding more water or broth to develop the desired consistency. Enjoy!
Hello. I plan to make this meat-free. Would you suggest cooking the butternut squash and mushrooms separately and then adding them in at the end after the rest of the recipe is prepared? Or would you just substitute the chicken with the vegetables and cook as the recipe states? Thanks!
Hi Tamara, I would definitely integrate the mushrooms and cook them with the sauce. You can also do the same with the squash, however be sure to cut them into larger chunks so that they don’t fall apart during the long cooking process. Alternatively, you can roast them and add them to the sauce later. Enjoy!!
This is my new Christmas tradition – made it last year for Christmas and I am aldready looking forward to cooking, serving and eating fesenjoon again this year.
The taste is like nothing else – the first time, I had no idea if taste and texture were like they were supposed to be. Luckily my Iranian friend came by to taste and help adjust if needed.
Thank you for posting all these wonderful recipes. They are so easy to follow, and your way of presenting them always makes me curious and energetic.
That’s so wonderful, Mirjam! I absolutely love the idea of having fesenjoon as a special Christmas dish! And you are most welcome, I am happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes!
Oh, thank you so much! What a beautiful and uplifting message to recieve. I equally LOVE LOVE doing this and am so glad you are enjoying my blog! 🙏❤️
I LOVE LOVE your food blog. Absolutely fantastic recipes. While in shut down here in the US, have tons of time on hand to go through your blog and enjoy your love of cooking/baking. Please keep them coming. Stay safe & healthy.