Persian Pomegranate-Walnut Chicken

Based on the Persian dish fesenjan, this streamlined entrée features a sweet-tart sauce of pomegranate juice thickened with ground walnuts. After toasting, cool the nuts completely before grinding.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 3 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• 1  cup  walnuts, toasted
• 8  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 3/4  teaspoons  kosher salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped onion
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  cup  pomegranate juice
• 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon  saffron threads, crushed
• Dash of ground cinnamon
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Place walnuts in a food processor; process until finely ground. Set aside.

2. Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground walnuts, broth, and the remaining ingredients except cilantro, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pan; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

299 (31% from fat)

Fat:

10.3g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.6g,poly 6.4g)

Protein:

41.7g

Carbohydrate:

9g

Fiber:

1.2g

Cholesterol:

99mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

585mg

Calcium:

41mg