Persian Pomegranate Chicken Bake

Persian pomegranate chicken recipe. My juicy crispy pomegranate molasses chicken recipe is shockingly easy and so flavorful! If you love Arabic and Middle Eastern food, this is a recipe you have to try next!

My pomegranate chicken recipe is a spin on a traditional Persian pomegranate chicken recipe. My recipe is super easy and is made with a delicious pomegranate molasses chicken marinade.

You can make the baked chicken with pomegranate molasses marinade the night before, so the next day you can have dinner ready to go! My Persian pomegranate chicken is delicious served with my fluffy Arabic Yellow Chickpea Rice!

Do you love Middle Eastern & Arabic food and want to learn how to make delicious authentic Arabic recipes at home? Make sure to read my complete guide on Cooking Arabic Food at Home!

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES CHICKEN MARINADE

Want to make pomegranate chicken Persian style?! Get started with a super easy 7 ingredient pomegranate syrup marinade.

For the pomegranate chicken Persian sauce, you will need:

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 small red or yellow onion, diced

Some substitutions you can make:

If you don't have olive oil, you can use avocado oil. If you don't have tomato paste you can use red pepper paste.

Some people like to make their Pomegranate chicken spicy, so you can use Aleppo pepper sauce, which is a spicy red pepper paste. Or, you can add in crushed red pepper flakes for more spice.

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY JUICY MIDDLE EASTERN POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

My pomegranate chicken recipe is SO flavorful and easy to make! Crispy pomegranate chicken on the outside and extremely juicy on the inside. This recipe is a perfect easy weeknight Middle Eastern dinner recipe!

To get started, choose chicken with the skin on and bone in. Don't choose skinless or boneless chicken, which tends to dry out in the oven more.

I used chicken legs with thighs we got at the local Arabic market, but you can also use separate chicken pieces too.

I like to marinate my Persian pomegranate chicken overnight so the chicken can soak up the most flavor, but you can bake it immediately if you don't have time to marinate.

STEP 1: MAKE THE POMEGRANATE CHICKEN MARINADE

To get this easy pomegranate syrup chicken recipe started, grab all the ingredients for your chicken marinade together.

Next in a mixing bowl, mix all the pomegranate syrup marinade ingredients together:

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 small diced red or yellow onion

Mix your marinade ingredients together until completely combined. If you don't like pieces of onion in your marinade, you can alternatively blend this pomegranate marinade in your blender.

STEP 2: MARINATE CHICKEN OVERNIGHT

Rub the marinade all over the washed chicken pieces. I used 3 chicken legs and 3 chicken thighs. This marinade is enough to make 4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs (8 pieces) though.

Marinate your chicken overnight for the best flavor. You can even marinate it for up to 2 days! This makes a great make ahead Middle Eastern dinner that you can pop in the oven quickly after work on a busy weekday.

STEP 3: BAKE CHICKEN

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. I find that using parchment paper on the bottom of the pan helps hold the juices around the baking pomegranate chicken and keeps it extra juicy while still crispy.

Add your pomegranate molasses marinated chicken on top of the parchment paper. Brush with a little extra of the pomegranate molasses marinade, but not all of it to drench it.

Bake pomegranate chicken in your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Then broil on high for 5 minutes at the end to get the super crispy chicken top.

HOW TO SERVE PERSIAN POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

After you put your chicken in the oven, you can get started on the rice to serve it with. The type of rice you prefer is completely up to you, but I love serving my Middle Eastern Pomegranate Chicken recipe with my Arabic Yellow Chickpea Rice!

Make the yellow rice and then add it to a serving dish or tray. Top with the crispy baked Pomegranate chicken straight from the oven.

Garnish the pomegranate syrup baked chicken with toasted pine nuts or toasted almonds, fresh chopped parsley, and of course, fresh pomegranate jewels.

Enjoy!

More Middle Eastern Recipes with Chicken You're going to love next!

• Stuffed Chicken with Rice
• Saniya Jaj
• Chicken Kabsa
• Maqluba with Chicken
• Palestinian Musakhan
• Ouzi with Chicken

FAQ'S

Frequently asked questions about my pomegranate molasses chicken recipe.

How do you use pomegranate molasses?

Pomegranate molasses is a tangy sweet syrup you can use in many Arabic and Middle Eastern dishes from pomegranate chicken, to salad dressings, drinks and more! Try out my Arabic pomegranate drink that uses tangy sweet pomegranate molasses as its base!

Recipes using pomegranate molasses:

• Arabic Pomegranate Drink
• Saniya Jaj (Arabic Baked Chicken & Potatoes)
• Dawali (Palestinian Stuffed Grape Leaves)

What does pomegranate molasses taste like?

Pomegranate molasses is a thick rich syrup that is earthy, subtly sweet, and very tangy! It has an incredibly delicious depth of flavor that is unlike anything else. It makes the perfect base for marinating meat, making salad dressings, and even some unique Middle Eastern drink recipes!

Can you make pomegranate chicken Persian style in the slow cooker instead of oven?

Yes! While my pomegranate syrup chicken recipe is made crispy in the oven, you can just as easily add the marinated chicken into your slow cooker and slow cook all day on low for a delicious slow cooked fall of the bone Persian flavored chicken!

Can you make a pomegranate syrup chicken recipe in the air fryer?

Yes absolutely! My easy pomegranate syrup chicken recipe can be made even easier by popping it into the air fryer! Bake your chicken in the air fryer for about 25-30 minutes or until the thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

If you try my Easy Persian Pomegranate Chicken Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!