Khoresht Fesenjan is a comforting Persian stew in which chicken simmers in a rich blend of ground walnuts and tangy pomegranate molasses until the sauce turns into a luxurious balance of sour and sweet. This version comes together in a few simple steps, making the dish feel special without demanding much time.
I love the fact that this dish involves just one chopping task- onions. As the stew finishes cooking, watch the chicken effortlessly melt into a luscious, thick gravy. We enjoyed this Khoresht Fesenjan served with saffron-infused turmeric rice and finished off with a slice of Persian love cake.
Jump to:
🛒 Ingredients
Here is a list of key ingredients you will need to make this Persian chicken stew:
- Chicken: Use skinless thighs or drumsticks. You may use duck or your favourite meatballs.
- Onion
- Walnuts
- Pomegranate molasses
- Butter and olive oil
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🔪Instructions
Let me share how I make this pomegranate walnut stew, a true Persian pride. You cannot rush into making khoresht fesenjan for quick dinners. So resolve to make this only when you have ample time and know you will be serving hungry tummies!
Here's a bite-sized recipe rundown:
- Brown chicken/duck pieces
- process walnuts to paste
- Sauté onions
- Add walnut paste, broth, and molasses.
- Simmer the chicken in the sauce
- Taste, adjust, and serve
Hint: Slow cooking is the key to developing the colour and taste of this stew. The walnut paste and molasses tend to stick or burn quickly, so stir the stew every 10 minutes. The result is a sweet-and-sour concoction that goes well with rice or bread!
💡Serving Suggestions
- Serve with classic Persian chelow or with Esfahani-style kateh if you prefer a softer rice that absorbs the sauce beautifully.
- Add a side of shirazi salad for freshness or pickled vegetables.
- Serve with warm flatbreads for a more rustic, scoopable meal.
- Add saffron rice for a fragrant, celebratory touch on special occasions.
❄️Storage
Store leftover Fesenjan in an airtight container in the fridge. It'll stay tasty for about 3-4 days. When you're ready to enjoy, gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if needed to maintain that perfect consistency.
More Related Recipes
Looking for more recipes using pomegranate molasses?
☝️Recipe FAQS
Khoresh-e Fesenjān, sometimes spelt fesenjan or fesenjoon, is a stew (khoresh) from Northern Iran where Persian pomegranates grow abundantly.
Walnuts are a mandatory ingredient, but if for some reason you want to replace walnuts with an alternative, my best guess would be pine nuts or pecans and lastly, maybe hazelnuts. But I have not tested these options.
It is sour and tangy with a hint of sweetness, both flavours coming from tangy-sweet pomegranate molasses. The walnut paste adds a wonderful nutty flavour and makes a rich sauce for the chicken stew. And the slow-cooked chicken gets soft, soaking up all the flavour as it renders stock, making it finger-licking good!
Pomegranate molasses, also called dibis Ramman, is a thick, intensely flavoured syrup. You can easily use grenadine molasses instead. It is tangy and sweet like tamarind. Yes, Tamarind is the closest best alternative I can recommend, but if you can only find grape molasses, then you can use that too. Always start with a little and adjust as per taste.
Fesenjān is a rich dish often reserved for special occasions and is traditionally served over fragrant saffron rice or Tahdig. If making it for a weekly dinner, you can serve this with some plain basmati rice or flatbreads.
Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
Ask AI to answer based on this specific recipe:
Enjoyed this Recipe?
Did you know that commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favourite food bloggers? If you tried this recipe, please leave a review in the comments with your ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. Your feedback enables my small business to continue offering free, high-quality recipe content for you. It is the best way to help me thrive in an increasingly competitive AI world.
📖 Recipe Card
Khoresht Fesenjan
Ingredients
For the walnut paste
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons water
For the chicken stew
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 550 grams boneless chicken thighs, pat dried
- 1 large onion, chopped finely
- ½ cup pomegranate molasses
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
- salt to taste
For garnish
- Pomegranate arils
Instructions
Prepare the Walnut paste
- Toast the walnuts until fragrant and let them cool.1 cup walnuts
- Transfer the walnuts into a mixie or food processor and pulse a few times until it resembles bread crumbs.
- Add some water and grind the paste until it lightens in colour. Keep this aside for later.2 tablespoons water
Prepare the stew
- Heat some butter and olive oil in a thick-bottomed pot.1 tablespoon unsalted butter2 tablespoons olive oil
- Roast the chicken thighs until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it aside.550 grams boneless chicken thighs pat dried
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown with a dash of salt.1 large onion chopped finely
- Stir in the walnut paste, pomegranate molasses, water, turmeric powder, salt and pepper.½ cup pomegranate molasses1 cup water¼ teaspoon turmeric powder¼ teaspoon black pepper powdersalt to taste
- Drop the chicken pieces into the stew and season with salt.
- Add the sugar, and bring the stew to a boil on medium to high heat.1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
- Reduce the heat to low once it boils. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour stirring every 10 minutes until the stew develops a dark colour.
- Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with pomegranate arils. Serve with saffron or turmeric rice or any bread.Pomegranate arils
Notes
- Do not add too much water
- You may add a pinch of saffron to the finished Fesenjan stew.
- If making saffron rice, you may add a pinch of turmeric just enough to enhance the colour of the dish naturally without altering the taste. Saffron is expensive and it is better to use natural colouring than chemicals. It is okay to take saffron and turmeric together.
Nutrition Info
Recipe adapted from The Unmanly Chef.
Famidha Ashraf says
Hope this fesenjan brings a lovely warm hug of flavours to your table. The tart pomegranate and rich walnuts make such a cosy match with tender chicken. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out!