Author Notes
My Aunt Sandy, a fabulous cook in her own right turned me on to this recipe...it is lush and exotic and doesn't taste anywhere near as inexpensive as it is. There are a few "fancy" add-ins, but the big flavor punch comes from a long slow cook. This takes a really long time, but most of it is waiting occasional stirring time It's a lovely dinner party dish, I usually start the party with homemade hummus with hazelnuts & pita chips then serve the chicken atop a pile of buttery cous-cous and a cucumber yogurt salad with fresh chilies lots of fresh herbs....dessert is mint tea, some big fat dates, the remaining pistachios, whatever fruit is in season and a few chunks of halvah. You can use the remaining Pomegranate juice& fresh Ginger to make Ginger Pomegrante martinis! (This is also wonderful though far less of a cheap eat with Lamb) —Aliwaks
Ingredients
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12-15
Large bone in Skin on Chicken thighs
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5
Cloves garlic
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4
cups sliced yellow onion
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2
cinnamon sticks or 1.5 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
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1/2 cup
Chopped fresh ginger
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3/4 cup
honey
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3-4
green cardamon pods
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2 cups
Pomegranate Juice
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3
Large cans crushed San Marzano Tomatoes (not with basil)
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Salt & Pepper
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2 cups
Chicken Stock
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Fresh Mint
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Fresh Cilantro
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1/2 cup
Chopped toasted pistachios
Directions
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Heat olive oil over medium heat ...add Onions, Ginger, Cinnamon Stick, Crushed cardamon pods, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, Urfa Pepper and season with..salt & pepper
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Lower heat and saute until onions soften and get a wee bit brown on the edges, about 15 minutes
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Add tomatoes, pomegranate juice & honey, stir well and cook down stirring occasionally for at least 3 hours, maybe more, you want it to get dark and sticky, almost like barbeque sauce, it shoud reduce down at least by half-- You can do this a day ahead
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Dry Chicken thighs well and season on both sides with Salt, Pepper & remaining Cumin.
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Working in batches brown the Chicken on both sides, make sure they have room or else the will steam and the skin will get rubbery...you want it nice & crisp, but the thighs should not cook through
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Once all the chicken is finished layer them in a large dutch oven or any other oven proof dish large enough to hold them in 1 or 2 layers
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Pour over chicken and bake @ 350 for 1 hours
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Right before serving cover with a flurry of chopped pistachios, mint & cilantro
Can be made 1 day ahead and reheated (even better actually)
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