Glazed and gorgeous.
What defines an American Christmas dinner? Ask ten people and you’d probably get ten different answers. It’s odd that a nation so united by Thanksgiving Day tradition is so completely disjointed when it comes to Christmas Day. Maybe it’s because we’ve been celebrating for an entire month with platters of Christmas cookies and buffets of holiday appetizers. After all the holiday party food, maybe we’re just too full to spend much time thinking about Christmas dinner.
But this year is different. We’re not going to office parties or cookie swaps. There are no festive gatherings. We have time to think ahead, time to plan for a special festive meal, one that celebrates the joyful spirit and opulent richness of the season. I sat down to create a dish that would do just that: and that’s how I landed on Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken with Jeweled Couscous.
Tender chicken thighs, glazed in sticky-sweet pomegranate sauce and served on a bed of couscous that’s studded with parsley, pomegranate seeds, and toasted almonds. The tangy glaze contrasts against the savory chicken, while the crunch of the pomegranate seeds and almonds stands out against the soft couscous. Glowing with color, popping with texture, this bold, richly-flavored dish promises to light up any dinner table with holiday spirit.
In addition to being brilliantly festive, this dish is incredibly simple to make. Chicken thighs are treated to a quick marinade before being briefly browned on the stovetop and finished in the oven. Couscous is combined with a simple onion saute, steamed for five minutes, and then fluffed and garnished with parsley and almonds. A shower of pomegranate seeds completes the dish.
It’s simple. It’s quick. And it screams holidays!
When I was growing up, my family tried a different Christmas dinner menu each year: ham, roasted duck . . . once my mom even made a lasagna! It was as if we were on a quest to find the perfect holiday dinner. We never had this Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken, but I’m willing to bet that if we had, we would have found our answer.
Wherever you’re celebrating this year, I hope you make a Christmas dinner that’s just as festive . . . or maybe even try try your hand at this!
Enjoy!
Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken with Jeweled Couscous
(Serves 4)
For the jeweled couscous:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup couscous
1 ¼ cup water
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp minced parsley
For the pomegranate-glazed chicken:
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (the juice of about 1 lemon)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus additional
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
Method
For the jeweled couscous:
To toast almonds, heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add sliced almonds. Toast over medium heat, watching closely and tossing occasionally, until golden brown, bout three minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan. Add onion and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and sweat until onion is translucent. Add water, remaining tablespoon butter, and remaining teaspoon kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Add couscous and stir to distribute. Turn off the heat, cover, and steam for 5 minutes, or until water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Uncover and fluff with a fork, then add in half of toasted sliced almonds, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley (reserving the rest for garnish). Toss to combine.
For the pomegranate-glazed chicken:
In a large bowl, stir together pomegranate molasses, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, and pepper. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat thoroughly. Marinade at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Add canola oil to a cast iron or aluminum pan. Remove chicken thighs from marinade, scraping most of the liquid off the skin back into the bowl; reserve marinade. Season chicken thighs with salt and place, skin-side down, in the pan. Place over medium heat and allow the chicken thighs to heat up with the pan. Cook chicken over medium heat until the skin is browned and crispy, about 2 minutes. (Be careful—the marinade is sugary and will burn easily!) Turn chicken over onto its other side and pour over reserved marinade.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the juices run clear or a thermometer registers 180 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
Serve over couscous pilaf. Garnish with reserved almonds, pomegranate, and parsley.
Originally posted December 13, 2020.
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