Fesenjan is a traditional Persian pomegranate and walnut chicken stew. It's sweet and sour with a rich nutty flavor, served over rice. The chicken is cooked in a rich walnut and pomegranate sauce until tender, making this a luscious and delicious meal.

When it comes to Persian recipes, flavor and texture is everything. Whether it's a classic Persian rice and tahdig, ghormeh sabzi or eggplant stew, we always take the simplest of ingredients and, with a few tweaks here and there, we turn them into a delectable and tasty dish. Today I'm going to show you how to make fesenjan, my all time favorite Persian dish made with walnuts, pomegranate molasses and chicken.
Table Of Contents:
The origin of Fesenjan
Of all the Persian recipes, I would call fesenjan, also known as fesenjoon, the most mystical dish because of its unique flavor developed by cooking chicken in a rich pomegranate molasses and walnut sauce that's simmered for hours. This stew is not like anything you've had before yet it makes you come back for more.
This Persian pomegranate and walnut stew originated in northern Iran, Gilan province to be exact, and has spread its way through cities all over Iran and made its way through the hearts of many around the world.
The combination of walnuts and pomegranates is well loved and commonly used in many dishes in Northern region of Iran including marinades for kebabs, sauces and dips.
I have a fond memory of fesenjan: when I was a kid, I used to refuse to eat this stew because of its color and my mom would never make an alternative meal because she knew it is one to love and cherish. Finally, one day she said "just have it once and see if you like it or not." And with the first spoon in my mouth, I knew I was going to love this dish dearly for the rest of my life. The sour flavor coated in a subtle sweetness paired with the nutty flavor coming from the walnuts had me close my eyes and smile with all my heart.
What does Fesenjan taste like?
Similar to Persian pomegranate chicken, the flavor of this stew varies from sour to sweet, depending on the pomegranate molasses and the addition of sugar. My family loves to prepare this dish sweet and sour, leaning more towards sourness. Thus, I usually don't add sugar but some do. It really depends on how sweet you like it to be.
Fesenjan ingredients
- Onion: Like many other Persian stews, this recipe starts with sautéing onion in some oil until golden.
- Chicken: I usually use bone-in skinless thighs and legs but chicken breast works, too.
- Walnuts: I find grinding them in a food processor or a blender gives the best result. Blend the walnuts until you have fine walnut meal.
- Pomegranate molasses: It's a thick molasses made of pomegranate juice which gives this stew its rich dark brown color. You can find pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern stores or online. Alternatively, you can make the molasses at home, more on that below.
- Pumpkin or butternut squash: An addition I learned from a friend's mother who was born and raised in northern Iran. Walnuts are warm by nature, which means that after having a lot of them, your body feels warmer than usual. Adding mashed cooked pumpkin or butternut squash would balance the the nature of fesenjan. Pumpkin would make the sauce creamy and thick.
- Spices: You only need turmeric, salt and pepper for this fesenjan recipe. Some suggest adding cinnamon or bloomed saffron, however, I don't find it necessary since the walnuts and pomegranates are already rich in flavor.
How to make fesenjan
- Prepare the walnuts: Grind the walnuts finely in a food processor, make sure not to overprocess them to avoid the walnuts releasing their oil.
- Sauté the onions: Heat the vegetable oil in a pot or a Dutch oven and sauté the onion until translucent and slightly golden. Add in the turmeric and sauté for a few more minutes.
- Sear the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in the pot and sear for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until they are golden. You don't want them to cook completely, but to just get some color and crust. Remove them from the pot onto a plate and set aside.
- Add the walnuts: Add the ground walnuts to the sautéed onions and cook until they start releasing their aroma. Pour in the water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 45 minutes so the walnuts release their oil. Stir occasionally to make sure the walnuts don't stick to the pot.
- Add the pomegranate molasses and pumpkin: After 45 minutes, add in the pomegranate molasses, pumpkin, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, cover and cook for another hour so the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the seared chicken: After 1 hour, add the seared chicken back to the stew and cook for another 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. The dark brown pomegranate and walnut sauce will be a bit thick and there will be a thin layer of oil from the walnuts on the top.
- Taste and season if needed: Once the chicken is cooked, taste the sauce and add more salt or pomegranate molasses if needed. If the sauce is too sour for your taste, add a tablespoon of granulated sugar or brown sugar.
Tips to make the best fesenjan
- Use quality pomegranate molasses: Make sure the pomegranate molasses you're using doesn't contain added sugar. The recipe is calling for 1 ½ cup pomegranate molasses but different brands have different levels of sourness. Start with one cup and if you think your fesenjan is not sour enough, add more pomegranate molasses.
- Mashed pumpkin is optional: Using mashed pumpkin or butternut squash is optional in many recipes. After years or making fesenjan, I've come to the conclusion that adding pumpkin to this recipe makes it creamier, thicker and more balanced.
- Don't use too much oil: Not much oil is needed for this fesenjan recipe as the walnuts will release their fat once they're heated.
- Use skinless chicken: You can make fesenjan with chicken breast or drumsticks as well as thighs. All pieces should be skin off and preferably bone in for more flavor.
How to serve fesenjan
Like many other Persian stews, we serve fesenjan with Persian rice and tahdig. You can also serve it with saffron rice or one pot rice with golden crust. It's common to serve a Persian meal with a side of salad shirazi, plain yogurt or yogurt and cucumber (mast o khiar).
Turn this into a Persian feast with Persian appetizer platter and some Persian love cake and tea for dessert!
Variations of Fesenjan
This Persian pomegranate walnuts stew can also be made with different proteins. In the north of Iran, people traditionally make this recipe with duck. However, since duck is not widely available, nowadays fesenjoon is mainly made with chicken.
Some families make fesenjan with meatballs. To do so, sear meatballs separately and add them to the sauce n the last 10-15 minutes for them to cook completely.
If you prefer to make it vegetarian, just go ahead and leave out the meat. The secret and beauty of this dish is only in the sauce. As long as you have fesenjan sauce right, you're all good to go! But if you would like to add a vegetarian protein to it, tofu would be a practical choice.
Storing the leftovers and reheating
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. This stew usually tastes better the next day!
This Persian chicken stew also freezes very well. Let it cool completely and then store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
To reheat fesenjan, place it in in a small pot and turn the heat on to medium low. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the pot. It takes about 20 minutes to reheat completely.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. The beauty of Persian stews is that they taste a lot better the next day. You can make fesenjan up to a day in advance and reheat it when you're ready to serve.
Pomegranate molasses is basically reduced pomegranate juice. If you would like to make it at home, pour 16 oz pomegranate juice into a pot and bring it boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until reduced and thickened. After making the recipe, you can refrigerate the leftovers.
Theoretically, yes. Walnuts are the base of khoresht fesejan but if you don't want to use all walnuts, it's possible to use ⅓ lb almond meal and ⅔ lb ground walnuts. The process of making the recipe stays as it is. If you prefer to use whole almonds and ground them with the walnuts, make sure to use blanch almonds in order to have them mix with walnuts perfectly.
More Persian Recipes
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 8 pieces skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 lb walnuts About 4 cups
- 1 can pumpkin 15 oz.
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ cup pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- Using a food processor, crush the walnuts to form fine crumbs. Make sure not to overprocess, you don't want the walnuts to release their oil.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pot, preferably a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onions ad sauté onion until translucent and slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the turmeric and cook for a minutes. Add in the chicken and sear for 5-7 minutes on each side, until they are golden. They should not cook all the way through. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, place them on a plate and set them aside.
- Add the walnuts and sauté for 5-10 minutes so they start releasing their aroma.
- Add 3-4 cups of water. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring the mixture to boil, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the pumpkin, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper and let it cook for 1 more hour.
- Add the chicken back to the pot and simmer for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Taste the stew, if it's not sour enough, add some more pomegranate molasses and if it's too sour, add 1 - 2 tablespoon brown sugar.
Notes
- Khoresht Fesenjan is supposed to be thick, not much water is needed.
- You can use canned pumpkin or cooked butternut squash in this recipe. Adding the pumpkin will balance the natural warmth of the dish and also the flavor.
- Some suggest adding bloomed saffron to this dish, I don't find it necessary since the pomegranate and walnut both have rich flavors.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this pomegranate walnut stew in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. To serve, let it thaw completely and then reheat it in a pot over medium heat.
Michela johnson
Can I prepare the whole dish 24 hours before my guests come ? Is I shall present with jeweled rice and would not like to have too much to do at the last minute
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Michela, Yes, you can make this dish ahead of time and serve it with jeweled rice. Enjoy!
Lana
Hi,
I've been wanting to make this for a long time. I noticed that most recipes of fesenjan don't have pumpkin in them. I like the idea of adding pumpkin. I have 3 questions:
- Do you boil, roast or steam the pumpkins before pureeing?
- Can I use canned pumpkins?
- Can I substitute with butternut squash?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Lana, pumpkin really works well in Fesenjan, I usually either roast the pumpkin or use canned pumpkin for this recipe. You can definitely use butternut squash instead of pumpkin 🙂
Carolyn
This looks incredible!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you! It's a favorite!
Isadora Guidoni
This stew looks so good! My sister is coming to visit this weekend and I'll try preparing this. Thanks for sharing!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Isadora! Hope you guys love it!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
This sounds like it has so much flavor!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Megan! There is so much flavor here!
Jaren
I love how you described your childhood experience with this dish. My kiddos often do this with dinners, and I am always convincing them to try one bite and they will be so glad!!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Yes! Most of the time, the food is excellent, kids just need to try!
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen
It's so fun to try new foods, thanks for sharing!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Lindsay!
cakespy
Don't ask me to pronounce it but DO ask me to eat it, and seconds, too! I love learning about different foods from around the world, especially when they include so many of the flavors I love, like this!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Jessie! This is one good dish, and pretty easy to make! Hope you give it a try!
Maela
Hello Shahi,
My husband and I just cooked khoresht fesenjan (with your cookbook, of course) and it was absolutely delicious! We did not have any pumpkin so we took sweet potatoes instead. It worked just as well. We visited Iran in the last two years and I ate fesenjan there, now we know we can cook it at home and remember how we enjoyed it in Esfahan. Thank you so much !!
Greetings from Germany,
Maela
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Hi Maela!
Wow that's amazing! I love that you gave it a new twist and added sweet potatoes, that sounds really good and I cannot wait to try fesenjan with sweet potatoes myself <3 I'm glad you liked it! <3 Nooshe joon <3 <3
Mary @ Fit and Fed
Beautiful, Shadi, this pomegranate and walnut combination sucked me right in. I'm going to have to figure out some vegetarian variation. I'm glad you had a nice visit with your mom!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Hey Mary! My friend is vegetarian and she doesn't use any type of meat in this dish yet it's still very delicious! If you want to add some protein, seared tofu would work well I guess!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland
What a glorious stew --- I love everything about it --- and such gorgeous colors, too!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you so much Sue! It makes me so happy to see people being interested in Persian cuisine!
Tracy @ Served from Scratch
Anything with pomegranates I'm in! And the buttery crunch of walnuts? Amazing.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you crazy! That's what I love about this stew too!
Taylor Thurston
I love pomegranates and walnuts. I love the idea of putting them together. Sounds divine!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Taylor! It may sound "not normal" to many, but it tastes like heaven!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Taylor! The combination works really well!
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats
That looks so flavorful! I love cooking with chicken thighs.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Melanie! Me too! It's so juicy and delicious 😀
Marianne | Basil & Bubbly
I am always on the lookout for a new stew, and I love that this is a recipe I am wholly unfamiliar with, but uses common ingredients in my kitchen!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Hi Marianne! I'm happy you like this! You will love the taste of it, common ingredients, heavenly taste!