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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Morgh-e torsh with rice

Morgh-e torsh is an Iranian dish of chicken thighs simmered in a green sauce of herbs, walnuts and pomegranate molasses. It serves 4, takes 1 hour 30 minutes, is rated moderate difficulty, and costs €3.00 per serving. The key to getting it right is letting the herbs and sauce cook long enough to turn dark brown and glossy.

Tonight, a chicken from northern Iran simmered in a green sauce of herbs, walnuts and pomegranate, tangy, sweet and deep in flavor.

Morgh-e torsh with rice
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Morgh-e torsh comes from Gilan, a region in northern Iran on the Caspian Sea, where tangy, herb-heavy stews are an everyday thing. Here, chicken simmers slowly in a thick sauce made from chopped parsley, cilantro and mint, ground toasted walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. The result is dark, deep, sour and lightly sweet at once, far from the usual tomato based stews.

This is a Sunday dish, or an unhurried weeknight one, rather than something to rush, since the sauce needs time to thicken and turn that deep brown color. It's a good choice for guests curious about new flavors, though it's less suited to kids because of the strong herb taste and the tang of the pomegranate. Served over basmati rice, it makes a full, warming meal for the cooler months.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Pantry

  • Walnuts 200 g
  • Pomegranate molasses or reduced pomegranate juice 4 tbsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Fresh mint 1 bunch
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Allergens Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in the oil with the turmeric, then set them aside. 10 min

    Get the skin nicely colored, it adds flavor to the sauce.

  2. Grind the toasted walnuts into a coarse powder, finely chop the herbs.

    Pulse in short bursts, otherwise the walnuts release their oil and turn into a paste.

  3. In the same pot, sauté the onions and garlic, add the herbs, then the walnuts and the molasses. 10 min

    Let the herbs cook down for a long while until they turn dark and fragrant.

  4. Return the chicken to the pot, cover with water halfway up, and let it simmer covered over very low heat. 50 min

    The sauce should turn brownish and glossy, that's the sign it's ready.

  5. Cook the basmati rice in salted water, drain it, and serve with the chicken and sauce. 12 min

    Rinse the rice well before cooking, it will turn out fluffier.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a thick, not too sweet pomegranate molasses, it's what gives the sauce its real tang without making it flat.
  • Chop the herbs by hand instead of in a food processor if you want to keep some texture, a processor tends to turn them into a fine paste.
  • Taste the sauce near the end of cooking and adjust with a bit more molasses if it needs more tang, or a splash of water if it's too thick.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for lamb pieces for a version closer to some traditional recipes, just extend the simmering time a bit.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with roasted eggplant and squash cubes added to the sauce near the end of cooking.
  • To save time, use cubed chicken breast and cut the simmering time down to 25 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Plain basmati rice
  • Iranian flatbread or pita
  • Plain yogurt to soften the tang

Storage

Morgh-e torsh keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the sauce actually tastes better the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, sauce and chicken together. Reheat gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I substitute the pomegranate molasses?

If you can't find any, simmer pure pomegranate juice on low heat until it reduces to a thick syrup. You can also mix honey with lemon juice, though the flavor won't be quite as distinctive.

Can this dish be made ahead?

Yes, it's actually recommended, since the sauce thickens and deepens in flavor after a night in the fridge. Reheat it gently the next day and serve with freshly cooked rice.

Why toast the walnuts before grinding them?

Dry toasted walnuts lose their natural bitterness and release rounder, deeper flavors. This step really changes the final taste of the sauce, so don't skip it.

Is the dish very sour because of the pomegranate?

The tang is balanced out by the walnuts and the long cooking time, which mellow everything together. You can always adjust at the end with a bit more or less molasses to suit your taste.

How long does it take to make a morgh-e torsh, the herb, walnut and pomegranate chicken from Gilan, with rice?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a morgh-e torsh, the herb, walnut and pomegranate chicken from Gilan, with rice?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a morgh-e torsh, the herb, walnut and pomegranate chicken from Gilan, with rice cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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