Lunch: Persian Chicken Stew

Recipe by Matthew Dillon Khoresht Fesenjan is a Persian stew made with pomegranate juice and walnuts. This version is made best, according to chef Matthew Dillon, with a "thoughtfully and responsibly raised whole chicken".

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Persian Chicken Stew

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

1 whole Chicken
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion
3 clove gloves
1/4 c. raisins
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 pinch saffron threads
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. pomegranate juice
3 pods cardamom
4 allspice berries
1 dried lime
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
couscous

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add half of the chicken along with the backbone and neck, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the casserole. Add the onion, smashed garlic cloves, raisins, and chopped walnuts to the casserole, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the saffron water, chicken broth, pomegranate juice, cardamom, allspice, dried lime, and cinnamon stick, and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Return the chicken pieces to the casserole, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and braise the chicken in the oven for about 35 minutes, until the breasts are cooked through.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a medium bowl and keep them warm. Continue braising the dark meat pieces for about 15 minutes, until the legs are cooked through. Transfer the legs to the bowl. Discard the chicken back and neck.
Boil the braising liquid over high heat until it is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Discard the dried lime, cardamom, allspice, and cinnamon stick. Add the red wine vinegar and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Return the chicken pieces to the sauce and simmer them gently until they are heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken stew to shallow bowls and serve with couscous.

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