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Iranian

Fesenjan

Non-vegetarian

فسنجان · Fesenjān

A dark, glossy stew of chicken simmered in ground toasted walnuts and reduced pomegranate juice — sweet-sour, rich and nutty. A Persian celebration dish.

Fesenjan is an Iranian stew, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes and made with chicken thigh, walnuts and pomegranate juice. It serves 5 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
2 h
Total
2 h 15 min
Serves
5
Level
Intermediate
Calories
663

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Boil the pomegranate juice (opens in a new tab) in a wide saucepan (opens in a new tab) until reduced to about 200 ml and syrupy.

    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Toast the walnuts (opens in a new tab) in a dry pan until fragrant, cool, then grind to a fine, slightly oily powder.

  3. Step 3

    Put the ground walnuts (opens in a new tab) in a heavy pot with the water and simmer on low heat, stirring often, for 30–40 minutes until darkened and the walnut oil starts to rise.

    Stir frequently; walnuts catch easily.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile fry the onion (opens in a new tab) in the oil until golden, add the turmeric (opens in a new tab) and chicken and brown lightly.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: Wash hands after handling raw chicken.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Add the chicken, reduced pomegranate (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and salt to the walnuts (opens in a new tab). Cover and simmer for 45 minutes until thick, dark and glossy. Taste and balance with sugar (opens in a new tab) if needed; stir in saffron (opens in a new tab).

    • 45 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C.

  6. Step 6

    Serve garnished with pomegranate arils (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Associated with Gilan and northern Iran, Iran · Well documentedAlso popular in IraqMore food from Iran
Dish
Dinner · Lunch · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Simmered
Taste
sweet & sour, nutty, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Without the optional extras: No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Chicken thigh · Walnuts · Pomegranate juice · Onion · Turmeric · Cinnamon
Techniques
Simmering · Stewing · Slow-cooked gravy · Reduction

Allergens

  • Contains: Tree nutsfrom walnuts

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

663 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 476 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 23%
  • Carbohydrate 17%
  • Fat 59%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy663 kcal139 kcal
Protein39.6 g8.3 g
Carbohydrate29.8 g6.3 g
Net carbohydrate25.7 g5.4 g
Sugars22 g4.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.1 g0.9 g
Fat45.1 g9.5 g
Saturated fat5.4 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol150 mg32 mg
Sodium869 mg183 mg
Salt equivalent2.2 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
981 mg
Calcium
94 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
131 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
12 µg
Vitamin C
2 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
97 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sugar, saffron, pomegranate.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The longer the walnuts cook, the darker and richer the stew.

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the walnut simmer — undercooked walnuts taste raw and the stew stays pale.

Serve with

  • Serve with chelow or saffron rice.

Storage

  • Keeps 4 days refrigerated; freezes well.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Variations

  • Duck fesenjan: Made with duck, as is traditional in Gilan.
  • Vegetarian fesenjan: Use roasted butternut squash or aubergine instead of chicken.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 4, 5, 6

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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