Fruity Persian Chicken Thats Just A Bit Nuts Recipes

EASY PERSIAN CHICKEN BREASTS RECIPE

Steps:

• Lay the chicken breast flat on a chopping board with the smooth side facing up. Take a long sharp knife and carefully cut horizontally through the chicken breast, trying to keep your knife parallel to the chopping board at all times.
• The chicken breast will start to open up like a book and if you continue to cut through you will be left with two fillets. Repeat with the second chicken breast.
• Pour the olive oil into a non-metallic dish and then add in the turmeric, salt, paprika, cayenne (if using) cinnamon, allspice, and pepper. Mix together to create a paste.
• Slice up the garlic clove, add to the spice paste and mix well.
• Add the chicken fillets and turn to coat.
• Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator for 15 minutes before cooking.
• Place a heavy-based frying pan, skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and let it get hot.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, pushing off any bits of garlic.
• Place the chicken breasts flat into the frying pan and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for a further 3 minutes or until cooked through.
• Brush the chicken with honey and served garnished with chopped parsley and lemon slices.

PERSIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan/skillet and add the onions. Fry for 2 minutes and then add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, until sealed, stirring occasionally.
• Whilst the chicken is cooking, place the walnuts in a food processer and blend just until they turn to fine crumbs. Don't over-blend or you'll end up with walnut paste.
• Add the walnuts, garlic and ground almonds to the pan and cook with the chicken for 1 minute. Add in the turmeric, salt, pepper, cinnamon and lime zest, stir and cook for a further minute.
• Add the chicken stock, honey and three-quarters of the molasses. Stir, bring to a gentle bubble and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Taste the stew, add more molasses if needed. Cook for a further 5 minutes and then serve on top of boiled rice or cous cous.
• Top with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.

PERSIAN STYLE CHICKEN CURRY WITH WALNUTS AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan/skillet and add the onions. Fry for 2 minutes and then add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, until sealed, stirring occasionally.
• Add the sliced peppers and chopped aubergine and stir. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Whilst the chicken and veggies are cooking, place the walnuts in a food processor and blend just until they turn to fine crumbs.
• Add the walnuts, garlic and ground almonds to the pan and cook for a minute. Add in the turmeric, salt, pepper, cinnamon and lime zest, stir and cook for a further minute.
• Add the chicken stock, honey and three-quarters of the molasses. Stir, bring to a gentle bubble and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Taste the stew, add more molasses if needed. Cook for a further 5 minutes and then serve on top of boiled rice or cous cous.
• Top with pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, red onion slices and chopped walnuts.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Make a lengthwise cut into each onion from the top to root end, slicing only halfway through to the middle of the onion. (This will make it easier to separate the layers.) Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer briskly until the onions are softened through the middle and the layers separate easily, about 25 minutes. Transfer onions to a cutting board and let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine saffron and lemon juice, and let sit.
• Separate the onion layers until just the centers remain. (You may have to trim the root ends a bit more if the layers don't completely separate.) Cut the 2 largest outer layers from each onion in half for 12 equal pieces, then count out more of the inner layers for a total of 20 to 24 stuffed onions. (The number will vary depending on the size of onions.) Finely chop the remaining onion centers and any remaining onion layers to make 1 cup; a little less or more is OK.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a high-sided, 12-inch ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 minutes. Stir in rice and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and stir until evenly coated. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, saffron-lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the liquid is just absorbed, about 3 minutes (rice will still be undercooked). Stir in toasted almonds, pistachios, raisins, cherries and parsley.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in the center of each onion layer so that the onion loosely covers the filling. (Rice will expand; bundles should be partly open.) Scrape out and discard any remaining rice (or reserve for future use) and clean out the skillet.
• Coat the bottom of the skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and arrange onions seam side up in a single layer. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, season onions with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil over high, cover tightly and transfer to the oven to bake until all the liquid has been absorbed, rice is cooked through and onions are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and drizzle with oil. Serve warm.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PLUM SALSA AND BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Place water in a medium saucepan, and stir in the rice. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and fluff with a fork.
• In a medium bowl, mix until well combined the plums, onion, habanero peppers, cilantro, and sugar. Cover, and refrigerate about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season chicken with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken breasts in hot oil, and brown about 1 minute per side. Reduce heat to medium, and cook chicken about 5 more minutes per side. Serve over rice with plum salsa.

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.
• Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in base of tagine (or in skillet), uncovered, over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown half of chicken, skin sides down, turning over once, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown remaining chicken in same manner, adding any spice mixture left in bowl.
• Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tagine and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Tie cilantro and parsley into a bundle with kitchen string and add to tagine along with 1/2 cup water, chicken, and any juices accumulated on plate. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
• While chicken cooks, bring honey, remaining cup water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apricots are very tender (add more water if necessary). Once apricots are tender, simmer until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While apricots cook, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds, stirring occasionally, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Ten minutes before chicken is done, add apricot mixture to tagine. Discard herbs and cinnamon stick, then serve chicken sprinkled with almonds on top.

JEWELED RICE WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a large sieve.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a 6-quart heavy pot, then add rice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes from time water returns to boil. Drain rice in sieve.
• Toss together dried fruit in a bowl. Melt 6 tablespoons butter with cardamom and pepper in cleaned and dried pot, stirring to combine, then alternately layer rice and dried fruit over it, beginning and ending with rice and mounding loosely. Make 5 or 6 holes in rice to bottom of pot with round handle of a wooden spoon, then cover pot with a kitchen towel and a heavy lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid (to keep towel from burning) and cook rice over moderately low heat, undisturbed, until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, tightly covered and undisturbed, at least 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook pistachios, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spoon loose rice onto a platter, then break crust into 1-inch pieces and scatter over rice. Sprinkle with pistachios.

PERSIAN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a rolling boil in a large saucepan.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cracked peppercorns, cardamom seeds, and juniper berries.
• Add two cups of basmati or other long-grain rice, slowly, so the water doesn't stop boiling. Cook for about eight to ten minutes, stirring from time to time to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom, until the rice is just barely done.
• Pour everything into a strainer or colander and let the rice drain. Leave the spices in the rice.
• While the rice is boiling, chop the dried fruit. Throw the fruit on top of the rice draining in the colander.
• Thinly slice one-half of a large onion and sauté it until golden in 5T of unsalted butter with several pinches of saffron or one teaspoon of turmeric.
• While onions are cooking, grease a round casserole with a bit of butter and turn the spiced rice and fruit into a large bowl.
• Turn the golden onions into the bowl and mix everything up.
• Spoon the mixture into the casserole and pat the rice firmly in place with the back of a spoon.
• Drizzle 3 Tbsp of melted butter over the top and cover with two thicknesses of aluminum foil and seal the edges well. Add a lid if your casserole has one. Set the casserole in a preheated 350°F oven and let it bake for an hour.
• Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes or so before removing the foil and unmolding it onto a platter. (Lay the platter on top of the rice and, using a thick dishcloth or potholders, flip the thing over).
• Surround with the Persian chicken.