Chicken roasted in pomegranate syrup
The sweet tang of pomegranates makes this dish exceptional.
Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 90 minutes
You need
• 1kg chicken portions or a whole chicken • 2 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • ½ red chilli, finely chopped • 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil • 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock • ½ cup (125ml) pomegranate syrup (see recipe on the right or use bought pomegranate molasses) • roasted sweet-potato wedges to serve • extra pomegranate seeds to garnish
This is how
Heat the oven to 150°C. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a large casserole dish that can go into the oven, fry the bacon and onion until soft. Stir the garlic and chilli through. Arrange the chicken portions in a single layer, skin side up, on top of the bacon mixture. Pour over the olive oil, stock and pomegranate syrup. Cover the dish with a sheet of foil, put the lid on and roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid and foil, increase the temperature to 220°C and roast for another 20-30 minutes until brown.
Serve the chicken with the sauce and roasted sweet-potato wedges, and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds. Tip You could fry the bacon mixture in a pan and spoon it into an oven dish. Place the chicken on top and follow the recipe as above. Seal the dish tightly with foil.