Pomegranates are everywhere these days. How about a Persian-inspired pomegranate chicken thigh recipe? Warning: you will want to make extra of this yummy chicken.
Growing up on the Mediterranean, pomegranates were a big thing. Although I don't remember much if/how my mom used them in cooking, I do recall my brother and I eating bowls of pom seeds sprinkled with sugar. The tangy and sweet snack was a favorite in our little household, and we ate lots of it!
Fast forward umpteen years later...
Early in my marriage, my husband and I lived in Grand Rapids, MI. We married young and did not have much disposable income. We didn't go out much, and when we did, it was to the $9.99 Chinese buffet nearby.
One lucky night, my hubby took me to this family-owned Persian restaurant called Shiraz. It was a fun surprise. The place offered delicious authentic Persian food; they even had live music and a belly dancer. Totally worth the splurge! That night, I ordered their Persian pomegranate chicken legs, and the taste has been engraved in my memory since.
I had purchased a couple of big pomegranates the other day because my mommy-in-law keeps telling me how good they are for me. And I totally believe her! Besides, I do love pomegranates, so why not? Lucky enough, I also had six humble chicken thighs begging to be cooked. My mind took me immediately to Shiraz and that amazing dish of pomegranate chicken I ate so many years ago.
I recreated this chicken thighs (legs) recipe from memory, and my hubby could not believe how authentic and delicious my pom chicken turned out! They were fall-off-the-bone tender and truly packed with flavor.
Recipe tips...
To ensure flavor, I decided to make a rub of spices with fresh garlic, pomegranate molasses and a little vinegar. O yes, I did generously apply this rub all over the chicken and underneath the skin (so important). I let that sit for a good couple of hours; then I came back and browned the chicken thighs in my cast iron skillet
(highly recommend that you have a skillet like this one). I also made a great pomegranate-wine sauce in which I baked the chicken. You'll be surprised how easy this recipe is, but it is truly impressive.
By the way, prep time is more like 25 minutes, the two additional hours are inactive. So no, you won't be toiling too hard 🙂
Ready to make this pomegranate chicken thigh recipe?
Prepare the spice rub by combining the rub (ingredients below) in a small bowl.
Pat chicken thighs dry and begin to apply the spice rub generously. Be sure to lift skin carefully and apply some or the spice rub underneath; this is very important for flavor.
Slice one large onion. Place chicken in a large dish on a bed of red onions (use ½ amount of onions you sliced). Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Take chicken out of the fridge and let sit in room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. When ready, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large and heavy skillet. Turn heat to medium-high and brown chicken thighs on both sides, beginning with skin-side. Place browned chicken in a large roasting pan.
To the same skillet, add a little more oil, if needed. Now, on medium-high heat, saute the remaining onion slices for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned.
To the sauteed onions, add white wine and let simmer to reduce. Now add pomegranate molasses, bay leaf, seasoned salt, and chicken broth. Let the liquid simmer together for about 5-7 minutes to develop a nice pomegranate-wine sauce/broth.
Remove bay leaf and pour the pomegranate-wine sauce/broth over the chicken thighs in the roasting pan.
Cover and bake in 450 degree F-heated oven for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake on the lowest oven rack for another 25-30 minutes or until fully cooked.
Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before serving.
Serve with a garnish of dried mint leaves and fresh pomegranate seeds. And remember those amazing Greek potatoesI made the other day? They make a great side dish to this chicken. Or add a simple white rice or couscous.
Pomegranate Chicken Thigh Recipe
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5 from 4 reviews
- Author: The Mediterranean Dish
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 6
Description
Pomegranates are everywhere these days. How about a Persian-inspired pomegranate chicken thigh recipe? Warning: you will want to make extra of this yummy chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice rub
- 1 tbsp seasoning salt with no msg
- 1 ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tsp paprika (sweet or hot)
- 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (or organic blackstrap molasses)
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Remaining Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 large red onion, sliced, divided
- Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 bay leaf
- seasoned salt to taste
- 2 tbsp dried mint leaves, crushed
- 1 large pomegranate, seeds of
Instructions
- Prepare the spice rub by combining the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pat chicken thighs dry and begin to apply the spice rub generously. Be sure to lift skin carefully and apply some or the spice rub underneath; this is very important for flavor.
- Place chicken in a large dish on a bed of red onions (use ½ the amount of onions you sliced earlier). Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Take chicken out of the fridge and let sit in room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- When ready, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large and heavy skillet. Turn heat to medium-high and brown chicken thighs on both sides, beginning with skin-side. Place browned chicken in a large roasting pan.
- To the same skillet, add a little more oil, if needed. Now, on medium-high heat, saute the remaining onion slices for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned.
- To the sauteed onions, add white wine and let simmer to reduce. Now add pomegranate molasses, bay leaf, seasoned salt, and chicken broth. Let the liquid simmer together for about 5-7 minutes to develop a nice pomegranate-wine sauce/broth.
- Remove bay leaf and pour the pomegranate-wine sauce/broth over the chicken thighs in the roasting pan.
- Cover and bake in 450 degree F-heated oven for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake on the lowest oven rack for another 25-30 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes.
- Serve with a garnish of dried mint leaves and fresh pomegranate seeds.
- Try these Greek potatoes as a side dish.
Notes
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 2 hours 25 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean/Persian
Try these delicious recipes:
Mediterranean Pomegranate Tomato Salad Recipe
Best Moroccan Chicken
Chicken Arugula Salad with Ginger Pomegranate Dressing
Easy Persian-Style Barbecue Chicken Thighs
I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
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