Khoresh Morgh Nardooni (Pomegranate Chicken Stew)

To seed a pomegranate, rinse the outside. Fill a mixing bowl with tap water. Cut off just the stem ends of the pomegranate. Score the outside of the pomegranate from top to bottom in about 6 places, just deep enough to go through the pith. Submerge the fruit in the bowl and break it apart with your hands underwater to minimize spraying the juice. Keep pulling off membrane and pith and let the seeds settle in the bottom. The membrane will float. Pour off the water & membrane— voila!

I frequently do Middle Eastern cooking, and if I am out of pomegranate molasses, I reduce cranberry juice until it is syrupy. The sweet-tart flavor and bright red color makes it an excellent substitute for pomegranate molasses.

To remove the seeds/arils, cut the pomegranate in half. Take 1 half and place cut side facing into palm of hand over a large bowl over sink. With a heavy duty utensil (I use a large wooden spoon) whack the skin side repeatedly all over the surface and feel the seeds being loosened and continue to whack the surface. Eventually, the seeds will start falling out of the membrane and let fall into the bowl. Enjoy the process.

Even better, if you have access to pomegranate juice (Whole Foods carries it), you can reduce that.

We enjoyed this, although you really do need to like the crunch of pomegranate. I used six chicken thighs, and removed the skin before browning. There was plenty sauce, and after the chicken was cooked I removed the thighs and let the sauce go at a hard simmer for a few minutes to thicken. We ate it with rice and a cucumber salad.

Mighty fine. I did it, dealing with pomegranates for the first time! I would suggest only that you should brown the chicken sufficiently enough to ensure a crispy skin at the end. If you slack off as the guide suggests you may not wish to eat the skin (unless you don't mind rubbery textured skin).

I made this exactly as written, and it's officially my favorite NYT recipe of the year. The sauce is so delicious I could eat it by the bowl.

Lovely. Even had some winter mint in the garden that worked well. Some changes I made: instead of sugar, used a spoon of apricot jam. Added a half-teaspoon of a syrian spice blend of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, ginger, black pepper. Use the extra oil/fat from browning the chicken to cook the onions for the sauce. Check your cooking time. Sixty minutes total is too long for legs, or even the thighs I used.

This recipe is incredible. A beloved restaurant in the Bay Area, CA, La Mediterranee, has a pomegranate chicken dish that I tried to replicate - even obtaining its recipe online a few years ago. It was disappointing; don't believe the recipe originated from the restaurant. This is not that recipe but it is its equal. I replaced the water with chicken stock and only used 3/4 cup which is half the recommended liquid and there was definitely enough sauce for the rice.

When working with pomegranates, wear an apron. See the comment about spraying juice.

Yum! Some improvements: I recommend using 6-7 boneless skinless thighs (as is, the bone-in legs are messy to eat, and the skin is a rubbery flap). With boneless thighs you can use half of the water from step 4, which is better for the sauce consistency anyway. Saving fresh arils as a garnish is crucial and gorgeous. Great with basmati rice and green beans. I agree with another review: the sauce is best with the meat flavor and texture, not by itself, so it may need to be tweaked for veg dishes.

We loved the bright freshness of this recipe. Perfect to fight the wet snowy winter. The pop of the pomegranate seeds are a delight. We served with rice and sagnak to soak up the extra sauce. Simple green salad on the side. Did lots of tasting of the recipe as i cooked and added some date sugar to sweeten it up. Even better the next day-save extra pomegranate seeds for garnishing.

Made this for the first time last night, December 21, 2021, for Yalda night. We had some not-Iranian friends over, and OMG, they loved it! Great recipe. But I would say let it simmer for hours!

The recipe only works with meat and the fat that comes with it. I tried making the sauce alone, and it was inedibly onion-forward in flavor. The next day we simmered pork shoulder in the sauce, and it was glorious.

This is so rich, delicious and simple to make. I found the sauce a little oily, might reduce that initial 1/4 cup of oil next time, the fat from the chicken legs added plenty. I made my own molasses by reducing pom juice with a little sugar and lemon for a couple of hours. The crunchy sweet seeds and fresh mint really elevate this to the divine. 10/10 will make again.