Persian Chicken with Walnuts and Pomegranate.

An Easier Take On A Traditional Persian Favourite.

Looks like jewels on a plate.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
8 boneless chicken thighs cut in half widthways.
1/4 cup lime juice, or juice of 2 limes.
20g butter
2 finely chopped medium onions
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, or 3 crushed cardamom, or 1 teaspoon powder.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
2 Tablespoons olive oil.
1 red capsicum, chopped into 1 cm squares
1 yellow capsicum, chopped into 1 cm squares.
1 cup finely ground or medium ground( your preference)walnuts.
1 cup pomegranate molasses.
2 tablespoons honey.
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken stock.
Pomegranate seeds, fresh.( 1/2 pomegranate).

1. Put chicken in a bowl and cover with the lime juice, leave 15 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 175C/340F.
3. In a frying pan melt butter on medium heat, fry onion 3-5 minutes until soft.
4. Stir in cardamom and cinnamon cook 1 more minute, put into an oven dish
5. Brown the chicken, in the frying pan, on both sides, then add to onion mix
6. Quickly fry the capsicum and add to the oven dish too.
7. Mix the walnuts, honey, bay leaves, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste and stock.
8. Pour this over the chicken
9. Cook in the oven, covered for 20 minutes.
10. Remove lid, continue to cook 10 more minutes. Test chicken is cooked through.
Serve with Persian rice.

Rice:
1 cup basmati or long grain brown rice cooked and cooled.
20g butter or 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
1 cup microwaved peas or fava or broad beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sumac or ras el hanout or even dukkah or moroccan spices.
salt and pepper.
Heat oil and toss all ingredients together until hot.

Truly rich, delicious, sweet and sour flavours. With flatbreads and a salad of chopped cucumber and tomatoes with torn lettuce leaves and a lemon/olive oil dressing it's good enough for a royal feast.