Ingredients
- Seeds of 1 pomegranate
- 3 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 100ml pomegranate molasses*
- 100g walnut halves
- 8 chicken thighs
- 1L chicken stock
- 1 tbsp honey
- 5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 tsp ground nutmeg
- Fine sea salt and black pepper to season
Method
- To give the dish a real depth of flavour, begin by toasting the walnuts in a shallow pan over a medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes, or until they appear slightly darker in colour and the aroma is stronger. Then cool and transfer to a blender, and blend until a fine, breadcrumb texture is achieved. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan, over a medium heat, gently fry the chicken in the olive oil, draining any excess fat at the end.
- Transfer the chicken into a large saucepan over a low-medium heat. To this add the sliced shallots, the chicken stock and season with sea salt and pepper. Gently bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and add the ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, honey, nutmeg and cinnamon. Allow to simmer for a further 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Scatter the pomegranate seeds over the top of the stew prior to serving, to give a fresh kick to this rich meal.
Serve with cous cous, or opt for rice or quinoa if you are following a gluten free diet.
*Make your own pomegranate molasses by gently heating pomegranate juice in a milkpan over a low-medium heat for approx. 25 – 30 minutes. The liquid will reduce by about 2/3.
Cooking for one can be expensive and laborious. This recipe makes four portions, so freeze any portions that you don’t plan to eat within two days to provide a healthy and balanced ready meal for another day. Just remember to defrost your meal in the fridge for at least 12 hours prior to re-heating. We suggest that you make your cous cous, rice or quinoa fresh on the day you plan to eat.