Holiday Pomegranate Chicken

June 4, 2018

With the holidays approaching, chances are you’ll be doing some entertaining or maybe even playing host to your in-laws and you’ll be wondering what fabulous holiday dish you can prepare with all you have going on. Well, last night I found just that dish! It highlights pomegranate, which is the new “in” food with all of it’s anti-oxidant powers and delicious taste, and is a PERFECT festive holiday food.

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 c. unsweetened pomegranate juice (from about 5 large pomegranates or from store bought juice)

3 T. soy sauce

1/2 t. dry rosemary (or about double for fresh)

1/2 t. fresh grated ginger (I don’t peel mine and you can freeze leftover whole ginger in your freezer, just grate what you need)

2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (really the richness of thigh meat is needed in this recipe)

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/3 c. pomegranate seeds (optional)

fresh rosemary or parsley sprigs

Directions

1In a 9×13 baking dish, combine pomegranate juice, soy sauce, rosemary, ginger, and garlic. Coat chicen wit marinade. Cover, refrigerate 8 hours or over night.

2Drain off and reserve marinade. Arrange chicken pieces slightly apart in baking dish. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven about 30-45 minutes, basting occasionally with marinade. (Your chicken will be dyed red due to the pomegranate juice so you’ll want to use a thememometer for doneness, it should be 165)

3Transfer chicken to platter and keep warm. Then pour drippings into a 1 1/2-2 qt. pan, stir in cream. Bring to boil over high heat and boil rapidly until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup. Spoon sauce evenly over chicken. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs. Serve over Pomegranate Rice.

Pomegranate Rice

2 green onions, chopped with the tops (cut the white in half and shop horizontally)
1 T. butter
1 c. long grain rice
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1/8 t. ground cinnamon
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. roasted salted pistachio nuts, shelled (or you could sub in coarsely chopped cashews)
1 c. pomegranate seeds
lemon peel strips (optional)

In large saucepan cook green onions in hot butter over medium heat 3-5 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice, ginger, and cinnamon. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until rice begins to brown.

Carefully add broth to rice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered, 14 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in nuts and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with lemon peel.

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