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You are here: Home / Main Course / Poultry / Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce

October 29, 2019 11 Comments

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce is an updated, elegant “deconstructed” twist on the classic Middle-Eastern dish known as Fesenjan that everyone will enjoy!

It’s also Progressive Eats time, the online progressive dinner party I do with some of my food blogger friends!  Our theme this month is everything pomegranate–from cocktails to appetizers, salad to the main dish and some luscious desserts!

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead hero shot of dish on white oval platter garnished with parsley and walnuts with sauce on white background

If you told your family you were having Fesenjan for dinner, chances are they wouldn’t have a clue what you were talking about.

Fesenjan is a traditional Iranian stew typically made with pomegranate molasses (or paste), ground walnuts and poultry such as duck or chicken.  It’s a dish I make frequently for one of my well-traveled clients.

When planning for this month’s Progressive Eats theme on pomegranates, Fesenjan seemed to be a natural choice given how often I make it.  But then, I decided to put my own modern twist on the dish that everyone in your household is sure to enjoy!

For this interpretation, boneless skinless chicken breasts get a coating of finely chopped walnuts for a delicious crunchy exterior!  Rather than braising chicken or duck in pomegranate molasses (which can be difficult to find), this version has an easy-to-make sauce prepared on the stovetop that uses pomegranate juice, port wine, a little chicken broth, butter for depth and a touch of honey for sweetness.

How to make Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce:

  • The sauce is super simple, made in a saucepan and you’ll want to get it going before you bake the chicken.  Simply combine finely chopped shallot, pomegranate juice, ruby or tawny port wine and chicken broth in a small saucepan.  Bring it to a boil and let it simmer away until it’s reduced by 1/3 to 1/2.
  • Combine a little corn starch with a little chicken broth, add it to the sauce and simmer until it thickens.
  • Then whisk in some butter, honey and salt and black pepper.

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead shot of sauce in saucepan on white background with whisk and white towel

  • For the chicken, start with about 2 cups walnut “pieces.”  You could also use walnut halves, but you’ll probably need more than 2 cups to end up with the required amount of finely chopped walnuts.

Overhead shot of walnut pieces in mini food processor

  • Process until finely chopped in a food processor, preferably a mini food processor.  You should end up with just over 1 3/4 cups finely chopped walnuts.

Overhead shot of finely chopped walnuts in mini food processor

  • Combine the finely chopped walnuts with dried thyme, salt and black pepper and some fresh parsley.
  • Coat the chicken with Dijon mustard then dredge in the walnut mixture and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Give it a shot of cooking spray to moisten the nuts and prevent them from burning.

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead shot of chicken breasts coated with walnuts on parchment paper before baking

  • Place in the oven on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the center.

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead shot of chicken after being baked

  • Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with the sauce!

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead shot of dish on white platter with sauce on marble background garnished with parsley

That’s it!  So easy and so elegant!  Perfect for a family dinner or dinner party!

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Overhead shot with one breast served up on blue and white plate with sauce and green beans

All you need is a green veggie on the side!

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce - Close-up straight-on shot of chicken on blue and white plate with green beans

And now it’s time for our Progressive Eats Pomegranate Party!

Progressive Eats

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is Everything Pomegranate — from pomegranate juice to molasses to fresh arils straight from the fruit. Our host this month is Beth Lee who blogs at OMG! Yummy.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. We choose a theme each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the deliciousness we’ve put together for our celebration inspired dishes!

A Pomegranate Party

Cocktails

  • The Sugarplum Cocktail – Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  • Pomegranate Cosmopolitan Cocktail – That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Appetizers

  • Crostini with Goat Cheese, Pomegranate, and Rosemary – Creative Culinary

Salad

  • Mango Chickpea Kale Farro Salad – Shockingly Delicious

Main Courses

  • Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce – From a Chef’s Kitchen  (You’re here!!)
  • Pomegranate-Glazed Hasselback Butternut Squash + Quinoa and Apples – The Wimpy Vegetarian
  • Instant Pot Brisket with Pomegranate Molasses – OMG! Yummy

Sides

  • Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables – Beyond Mere Sustenance

Desserts

  • Pomegranate Sorbet – The Redhead Baker
  • Rustic Apple and Pomegranate Galette – Clandestine Cake Club

For more great easy chicken dinners, be sure to try my:

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Chicken in Rosa Sauce with Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Spinach is perfect for your romantic Valentine's Day dinner at home!  This simply delicious romantic Tuscan-inspired meal will have you asking for amoré! 

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Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Butternut Squash Chickpeas and Olives

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Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Butternut Squash, Chickpeas and Olives is lovely, budget-friendly, low-stress exotic dinner you'll love coming home to or serving to guests!

Bruschetta Chicken with Zucchini Noodles

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Curry Braised Chicken Thighs

Curry Braised Chicken Thighs

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Crab Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Crab Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Crab Stuffed Chicken Breasts are easy enough for a weeknight yet elegant enough for a dinner party.

Helpful tools and equipment to make Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce  (Affiliate Links):

 

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Yield: 4

Walnut Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce

Walnut Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce is an updated, elegant “deconstructed” twist on the classic Middle-Eastern dish known as Fesenjan that everyone will enjoy!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • POMEGRANATE SAUCE
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup port wine, tawny or ruby
  • 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • CHICKEN
  • 1 3/4 cups finely chopped walnuts (start with 2 cups walnut "pieces")
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • Cooking spray
  • Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

  1. POMEGRANATE SAUCE: Combine shallot and port wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to approximately 2 tablespoons.
  2. Add all the pomegranate juice and chicken broth LESS 1 TABLESPOON. Bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20-30 minutes or until reduced by 1/3 to 1/2.
  4. Combine corn starch with the remaining 1 tablespoon chicken broth in a small bowl. Add to sauce.
  5. Simmer until it starts to thicken.
  6. Add butter, honey and salt and black pepper, to taste. Keep warm.
  7. CHICKEN: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Combine walnuts, thyme, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.
  9. Coat the chicken with the mustard. Dredge in the nut mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the center.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: SAUCE: Sauce may be prepared 1-2 days ahead. Gently reheat in the microwave or stovetop. CHICKEN: Coat with walnuts 1 day ahead and refrigerate covered until needed.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 863 Total Fat 55g Saturated Fat 13g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 38g Cholesterol 154mg Sodium 1024mg Carbohydrates 44g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 8g Sugar 30g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 53g
The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
© Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Middle Eastern / Category: Poultry
Walnut Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. susan | the wimpy vegetarian says

    November 3, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    This is really gorgeous. What a wonderful way to serve dinner for a dinner party. Chicken is just about the only thing all of our friends agree on, so it's what I often serve. Thanks for this terrific new idea!
    Reply
    • Carol says

      November 3, 2019 at 1:22 pm

      Hi, Susan and thanks so much! It makes a great family dinner or dinner party entree for sure! Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
      Reply
  2. Tamara Andersen says

    November 1, 2019 at 6:55 am

    I love fesenjan, and agree it can be a bit of work. Your deconstructed version looks and sounds delicious, and I'm looking forward to giving this a whirl!
    Reply
    • Carol says

      November 1, 2019 at 7:04 am

      Thanks so much, Tamara! Hope you enjoy!
      Reply
  3. Lynn says

    November 1, 2019 at 6:16 am

    Everything about this recipe sounds so delicious! Can't wait to try it this holiday season!
    Reply
  4. Beth says

    October 30, 2019 at 5:18 pm

    I absolutely love what you did by deconstructing, if you will, the traditional fesenjan. This is just so smart and so delicious and nutritious! I'm inspired Carol!
    Reply
    • Carol says

      October 30, 2019 at 5:28 pm

      Thanks, Beth! Yes, "deconstructing" is exactly the right term! Hope you enjoy!
      Reply
  5. Karen says

    October 29, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    That chicken! That sauce! Everything is so elegant and gorgeous and sounds so delicious!
    Reply
    • Carol says

      October 30, 2019 at 8:12 am

      Thanks so much, Karen! It really is a luxurious sauce that's perfect for fall, winter and holidays! Thanks again!
      Reply
  6. Dorothy Reinhold says

    October 29, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    My family gets really tired of the same old chicken dishes, and this is the perfect solution! This sounds amazing!
    Reply
    • Carol says

      October 30, 2019 at 8:12 am

      Thanks, Dorothy! Yes, everyone in your household should love this! Thanks again!
      Reply

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