recipes

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnut pieces on a baking sheet or pan, and toast until fragrant, about 5 to 6 minutes for large pieces. Remove from oven and then cool before finely chopping them in a food processor.

Heat a 4-quart Dutch oven for 20 seconds. Add oil and heat for another 15 seconds, then add diced onion. Sauté for 5 to 8 minutes or until onions are soft and lightly golden.

Add onions to the processor work bowl with the nuts and pulse the machine on and off 7 times until a coarse paste is created.

In a small glass bowl combine the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, honey or sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and 3 tablespoons water. Set aside.

Remove skin from the chicken pieces. Rinse and pat dry.

Reheat the pan in which you sautéed the onion. If necessary, add another tablespoon of oil. Add chicken meat-side down first and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Flip meat over and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pan to a platter. Add the onion/walnut mixture to the pot along with the contents from the glass bowl. Add 1 cup chicken broth or water, and stir to combine.

Return chicken to the pot, turning pieces so that they are well coated with the walnut mixture. Cover pot and put in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until meat is tender.

If necessary, adjust seasonings by adding more sugar or lemon juice to the mixture to get a balanced sweet/sour taste. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories 375 Fat 24 g Sodium 286 mg

Carbohydrates 18 g Saturated fat 4 g Calcium 58 mg

Protein 24 g Cholesterol 58 mg Dietary fiber 2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 3 lean meat, 3 fat.