This post is sponsored by Moink Box. All opinions are my own.
My sister received one of those DNA kits—23andMe or Ancestry, I can’t remember which. I thought it was a bit silly since our family is undeniably Italian: my father was born and raised in Italy and my mother’s four grandparents were all from Italy. Still, she did the test for fun.
When she called with the results, she sounded surprised. “You’re not going to believe this,” she said. “We’re 17% Middle Eastern!”
I laughed, but it made sense to me in a way I couldn’t explain. I’d always been obsessed with Middle Eastern flavors—now I had an excuse to make shawarma with conviction.
I don’t claim to be an expert in every cuisine. What I do is travel, taste, adapt, and recreate dishes at home in ways that work for my family. Authenticity is lovely, but what matters most is flavor and the ability to make a dish on a regular night that everyone enjoys.
Fesenjan is a Persian chicken stew made with walnuts and pomegranate, notable for its deep, balanced sweet-and-sour profile. Served over steamed basmati rice with a green vegetable on the side, it’s one of my favorite comfort meals. I first tried it at a restaurant called Farm Stand in El Segundo and ordered it every visit. For a more traditional take, my friend Naz at Bottom of the Pot offers an authentic version—she knows Persian food inside and out. What I’m sharing here is an Americanized, approachable Fesenjan-style chicken stew that uses ingredients you can find at a typical grocery store and that tastes fantastic at home. It may not be exactly like Naz’s, but it’s loved at my table and that’s enough.
“You never know if you’ll like something until you try it” is a phrase I use constantly in my kitchen, with both my picky son and my adult students. Recently I tried a Moink Box and was impressed. Moink connects consumers with humanely raised, ethically sourced meats and fish from small, grass-based farms. For someone who worries about the source of supermarket meats but doesn’t have time to visit farms, Moink offers a convenient middle ground.
Moink boxes are customizable, which suited my household since we don’t eat pork or lamb. I swapped items for wild salmon and other proteins I prefer. Everything arrives frozen, which is a huge time-saver—just pull from the freezer when you need it. Most importantly, the meats are grass-fed, pastured, or wild, raised without routine antibiotics on small farms. I used chicken from my box for this recipe and later tried ground beef and ground salmon from Moink for other dishes—everything was high quality. A Moink box or gift card makes a thoughtful gift for anyone interested in sourcing better meat, or for someone starting a Paleo, Primal, or Whole30 plan. Shipping is free and the company often runs seasonal specials.
Fesenjan-style Chicken Stew Recipe with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 cups walnut pieces
- ¼ cup unrefined cold-pressed olive oil
- 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts, patted dry and cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large or 2 small-medium onions, chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 6 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish, optional
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
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Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until fragrant, about 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then grind in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until they form fine crumbs.
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Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add as much chicken as fits in a single layer without overcrowding and brown on both sides, not cooking through. Transfer browned pieces to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
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Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
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Stir in the ground walnuts, chicken stock, and the browned chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20–30 minutes.
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Add the pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, turmeric, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer, covered, for another hour*, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
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Stir well to incorporate any oil that has risen to the top. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice and garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley if desired.
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