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Persian Crockpot Chicken Recipes with Pomegranate
It is not just soups and casseroles you can make in the slow cooker, you know. This wonderful Persian chicken recipe, featuring almonds, pomegranate, spices, garlic and more is guaranteed to impress your family. You can switch the almonds for walnuts if you prefer the taste. Pomegranate molasses gives the recipe a sticky feel and you can find this ingredient in a Middle Eastern grocery store or order it online. At a pinch, just use regular molasses and add some pomegranate juice.
This recipe is started in a pan and then transferred to your slow cooker to finish cooking. A lot of recipes are like this and the reason is that you can't brown food quickly (searing the outside to lock in the juices) in a crockpot like you can in a pan, but finishing it in the slow cooker means the flavors will blend really well and the chicken will stay moist and juicy.
This might sound like a lot of ingredients but the result of this recipe is well worth the effort because the flavor is complex and mouthwatering. Chicken is a versatile ingredient because it combines well with all kinds of sauces and this recipe shows you that you can add spicy and sweet ingredients and make a truly amazing dish.
Aromatic Chicken in a Persian Style Sauce
Ingredients -
2 ½ lbs chicken pieces, with bone
3 minced garlic cloves
2 finely diced onions
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup finely chopped almonds
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of saffron
¾ cup pomegranate molasses
2 ½ cups water
Water, as needed
Olive oil, as needed
2 tablespoons almond slivers, for garnish
Preparation:
Sauté the onions in the oil for 3 minutes, then add the cinnamon, nutmeg and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Do not let it burn. Add the chopped nuts, sugar, salt, pepper, saffron, pomegranate molasses, and water.
Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. You might need to add water during this time if the mixture is too sticky because of the molasses.
Transfer the mixture to your crockpot and stir in the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours or until the flavors are well blended and the chicken is cooked through, adding the lemon juice after 3 hours.
Stir in the pomegranate seeds 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Serve with white rice and steamed asparagus tips. Scatter the almond slivers over the dish just before serving.
(Serves 4)
Photo Description:
This colorful meal can be served with asparagus, like in the photo, to introduce more color and a contrasting flavor, or you can simply serve basmati rice with it. Persian chicken recipes are often make on the stove or baked, so it is nice to know there is a great crockpot alternative. You could cook this on the stove by simmering it gently for forty minutes but why not put your crockpot to good use and make it in there? The chicken will come out ultra-juicy if you do.
