Chicken with Tahini & Pomegranate Sauce

(4 servings)

I came across an interesting recipe for Turkish-Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Pomegranate Relish and Tahini Yogurt at Epicurious which inspired me to experiment a bit. The result was this flavorful chicken dish which was quick and easy to prepare. 

sesame oil for baking dish
6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 lbs.
salt and freshly ground pepper
a few pinches of dried mint
1/3 cup tahini
2-3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3-4 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 cup water
2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

serve with cooked rice
fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish

Lightly grease an eight or nine inch square baking dish with sesame oil and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim any visible fat from the chicken thighs. Cut them in half and lay them out in an even layer. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle a few pinches of dried mint over ONE side only. I used a bit more than I should have and the mint was a tad too pronounced. Use less than what you see in the photo below.

Place the chicken, mint side up into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the tahini, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses and garlic until well mixed. Taste and add more pomegranate molasses if you like it more tangy. Then add the water and stir until you have a smooth sauce.

Spoon half the sauce over the chicken and using the spoon, work the sauce in between the chicken pieces. Add the remaining sauce and spread evenly over the top. Sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over the top, if using.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the top has browned lightly, the sauce is bubbly hot and the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a sharp knife. Remove from oven.

Serve the chicken with cooked rice and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Turkish Yogurt Soup

(3-4 servings)

This is a very satisfying soup when the cold weather settles in. It's one of the few things I will prepare if I'm not feeling well. The lemon juice is optional although I love lemon in most things and it seems right here.

Occasionally as a variation, I'll add a bit of leftover chopped spinach to this soup.

Çerkez Tavugu, Circassian Chicken with Walnut Sauce

(about 6-8 servings)

I made this many years ago, and decided to make it again. I have no idea why I waited so long as it's quite delicious.

This dish is served at room temperature making it a great for buffets or for a hot summer day.

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 lbs skinless and boneless chicken breasts
2-4 slices bread
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces, lightly toasted, (reserve a few pieces for garnish)

bread, or pita for serving

Add the chicken broth, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a saucepan; bring to a boil. Simmer until the onion softens. Add the chicken. Allow to simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Remove from heat and let the chicken cool in the broth.

Remove the cooled chicken from the broth and either shred or cut into small strips. Arrange on a serving platter.

Place 2 slices of bread (to start), paprika and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Slowly pour in the reserved broth and onions. If the sauce seems too thin then add the extra slice of bread; if the sauce seems too thick, then add a bit of water. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Spread evenly over the chicken and garnish with the reserved walnut pieces. Serve at room temperature with bread or pita bread.

Stuffed Vegetables, Turkish Style

(6 servings)

I love stuffed vegetables. These have a Turkish flavour to them; the mint does it, I think.

These almost didn't get made today. I slept in unintentionally and to make up for lost time decided to shop at a grocery store which is closer to me and is supposed to have a decent organic section. What a disaster! The meat and fish isle stank to high heaven. Some of the chicken actually had a green hue to it. How can anyone shop there and then think about cooking?

I hightailed it out of there and drove the extra way to Whole Foods.

12 small bell pepper, tomatoes, or 6 zucchini ,(I used zucchini and tomatoes; the peppers were too large today)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried mint
1 1/2 tsp dried dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup rice
1 lb ground lamb or beef
1/4 cup dried currants, I  had to use raisins again; does no one in Dallas know what currants are?


Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds, or cut the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out the centres or cut the zucchini into 2 pieces (across) and scoop out those. Reserve the scooped out tomato and/or zucchini.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and minced garlic and saute until the onion is soft. Add the mint, dill, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of broth (reserve the other half) and the rice. Add the scooped out tomato and/or zucchini. Lower the heat a bit and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the liquid has absorbed into the rice. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a bowl combine the rice and vegetable mixture with the ground beef or lamb and currants; if you can find the damn things  /cry.

Fill the prepared vegetables with the meat mixture and place them in one layer on the bottom of a casserole dish. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about an hour.