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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Menu / Meat + Seafood / Pomegranate Chicken

    Pomegranate Chicken

    Sep 28, 2020 · 46 Comments

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    A sweet and tart pomegranate chicken that easily comes together in ONE single pan with minimal ingredients! This succulently tender and juicy chicken is just as perfect for entertaining as it is for a quick weeknight meal!

    How did the food blog seed get planted you ask? When a whole lotta people started asking me for the recipe after seeing this pic on Instagram:

    Pomegranate Chicken topped with pomegranate arils and parsley, in cast iron skillet on a white background; overhead shot.

    Why this Recipe Works

    • Marinating the chicken! Makes it tender and full of flavor!
    • That sweet-sour sauce! The sweetness of the honey is beautifully balanced by the sourness of the vinegar and tartness of the pomegranate molasses. 
    • Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs! Gives us the juiciest most flavorful results! But technically any cut can work - simply adjust cooking times accordingly.  
    • Crispy skin & tender meat! As a result of cooking the chicken in the marinade while leaving the skin exposed. 
    • 1 single plan! For minimal clean up!
    Pomegranate Chicken, out of the oven and all done, in a cast iron skillet on white background. Side angle shot with the right side cut off.

    Pomegranate Chicken Ingredients

    Chicken Thighs

    For juiciest most flavorful results, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs!
    Though technically, any cut of chicken at all can work. 
    The chicken is fully cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165 F on an instant read thermometer. 
    Remember, dark meat generally takes longer to cook than white meat (because of its higher fat content and density) though exact times also depend on the size of the cut. 
    Bone-in, skin-on chicken will take longer to cook than its bone-less, skin-less counterpart.
    If using different cuts of chicken that finish cooking at different times, simply take the pieces that are all done out of the oven while the rest finish cooking.

    Exact cooking times can be easily adjusted to accommodate any cut of chicken. 

    Pomegranate Molasses 

    Pomegranate molasses is a traditional ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking and is actually not molasses at all but rather a syrup made from reducing down pomegranate juice, with or without sugar, until it’ a thick, sweet and tart, syrup.
    You can find it in the international section of most grocery stores or specialty stores or even make your own.
    Look for a kind that doesn’t have a bunch of junk or additives. 

    Pomegranate Juice

    The juice from one of the healthiest fruits on earth that’s filled with antioxidants. Look for a brand that free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors and preservatives. 

    Honey

    Adding honey to the marinade helps achieve that beautiful golden brown chicken skin during baking and sweetens the marinade. Any sort of sugar will help get this impressive browning – can substitute the honey with brown sugar, maple syrup, agave or omit and add an extra tablespoon of pomegranate molasses. 

    Vinegar

    The naturally sweet and tangy acidic balsamic vinegar tames as it cooks and beautifully balances the other flavors. In a pinch, most any vinegar will do for this recipe and you can experiment with different vinegars alone or in combination.

    Pomegranate Seeds

    Technically called pomegranate arils. 

    Tip: buy a whole pomegranate and de-seed it yourself! Freshly de-seeded aril will will consistently have much better flavor, texture and be higher quality than their pre de-seeded counterparts sold in plastic container at supermarkets these days. 

    If pomegranates are out of season, simply skip sprinkling with pomegranate arils post oven. YES, I recommend skipping this step over buying those out-of-season de-seeded pomegranate arils in plastic containers.

    Pomegranate Chicken, all done sprinkled with parsley and fresh pomegranate arils. In a cast iron skillet on a black background; overhead shot.

    How to make this Pomegranate Honey Skillet Chicken 

    • Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Pour marinade over chicken. Let chicken chill in fridge at least 30 min and up to overnight in the fridge. 
    • When ready to roast, preheat oven to 400 F. Place chicken in skillet and pour in marinade. Roast. 
    • De-seed pomegranate. It’s a labor of love. Do it in a bowl over your sink. I recommend meditating at the same time. #multiasking 
    • For the last 12 minutes of roasting time (exact time depends on cut of chicken – see notes above), crank oven to 450 F so the sauce reduces, and the skin gets extra crispy. 

    Holiday Cooking Tip: to Holiday up any dish, both sweet and savory, to make it look festive, simply add pomegranate seeds!

    It really is that easy!

    For example: wanna Holiday up your cheese board? Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over it. Wanna Holiday up your cheesecake? Add some decorative pomegranate seeds. How about a salad? Yep yep…pomegranate seeds will do the trick. A little red juicy crunch added to any dish and just like that I present you the Holiday edition! 

    Cooks Tip

    • Remember: Dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat. Adjust cooking times to accommodate cut of chicken. 
    • Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that your chicken comes out perfectly moist with crispy skin each and every time! It is done when the temperature reaches 165, regardless of cut. 
    • If pomegranates are out of season, simply skip sprinkling the fresh seeds on the chicken post oven! 
    • If you own a cast iron skillet, this is a great time to use it! If you don’t, any oven safe pan can work. 

    Minimal ingredients and effort result in this chicken dish that bursting with A TON of sweet and tart flavor! Done & done! 

    Stoked on succinctly tender chicken thighs full of fresh seasonal flavor? I got ya!

    Check out:

    • Fresh Cherry Roasted Chicken
    • Chicken with Caramelized Shallots & Grapes
    • Cranberry Chicken

    Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with @DanielaGerson. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food!

    Let’s make waves in the kitchen!

    Posted in 2018, Updated 2020.

    Pomegranate Chicken topped with pomegranate arils and parsley, in cast iron skillet on a white background; overhead shot.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Pomegranate Skillet Chicken

    A sweet and tart pomegranate chicken that easily comes together in ONE single pan with minimal ingredients! This succulently tender and juicy chicken is just as perfect for entertaining as it is for a quick weeknight meal!
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Dinner, Entree, Lunch
    Cuisine: Californian, Middle Eastern
    Servings: 8
    Author: Daniela Gerson

    Ingredients

    • 8 bone-in chicken thighs or breasts if you prefer
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
    • 1/3 cup pomegranate juice
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 lemon juiced
    • 4 cloves garlic finely grated
    • handful pomegranate seeds
    • handful parsley
    • kosher salt to taste
    • pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven to 400.
    • Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, season with salt and let sit while you make the marinade (up to 30 min is ideal).
    • Whisk together olive oil, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, honey, balsamic, lemon and garlic. Pour marinade over chicken, either in a bowl, glass Tupperware, or resealable plastic bag. Spread the marinade around so all the chicken is evenly coated and let sit at least 30min and up to over night in the fridge.
    • To cook, place chicken skin side up in a roasting dish, then pour the marinade over the meat. The marinade should generously cover the bottom of the pan.
    • Cook until the chicken is tender at the bone and a meat or instant read thermometer reaches 165 when inserted inserted in the thickest part (about 25 minutes for breasts and 45 for thighs. If using both light and dark meat, remove the breasts while the thighs keep cooking then return the breasts to the pan in the oven once the thighs are done.
    • Crank the oven to 450 and let the sauce reduce and the skin get dark brown and crispy, about 12 min longer. Brush the chicken with the marinade from the pan every 3-4 minutes to glaze them.
    • Serve warm and garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
    • Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

    Notes

    • Remember: Dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat. Adjust cooking times to accommodate cut of chicken. 
    • Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that your chicken comes out perfectly moist with crispy skin each and every time! It is done when the temperature reaches 165, regardless of cut. 
    • If pomegranates are out of season, simply skip sprinkling the fresh seeds on the chicken post oven! 
    • If you own a cast iron skillet, this is a great time to use it! If you don’t, any oven safe pan can work. 
    Did you make this recipe? Please share and tag @DanielaGerson! I'd love to see how you're making colorful waves in the kitchen!

    Pomegranate Chicken, out of the oven and all done, in a cast iron skillet on white background. Overhead shot with the left side cut off. On Top. | Pomegranate Skillet Chicken, out of the oven and all done, in a cast iron skillet on a black background. Overhead shot with the right side cut off. On the bottom.
    Pomegranate Skillet Chicken, out of the oven and all done, in a cast iron skillet on white background. Overhead shot with the left side cut off. On Top. | Pomegranate Skillet Chicken, out of the oven and all done, in a cast iron skillet on a black background. Overhead shot with the right side cut off. On the bottom.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline says

      November 11, 2018 at 12:32 am

      Can’t wait to make this delicious chicken ????

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        November 11, 2018 at 12:48 am

        Thank ya so much! I’d happily make it for you too :). ??

        Reply
    2. M says

      November 11, 2018 at 5:54 pm

      Hi,

      There's no garlic in the ingredients, but in step 3, garlic is mentioned. Can you please update the recipe?

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        November 13, 2018 at 3:15 am

        Hi! The garlic is there under the lemon and above the pomegranate seeds :). ?

        Reply
    3. M says

      November 11, 2018 at 5:55 pm

      Oops just re-read the recipe. Ignore my previous comment

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        November 13, 2018 at 3:16 am

        Oops! Just replied and will ignore now :). But most importantly... I’m super duper stoked you’re making this!!! How’d it come out? ?

        Reply
    4. M says

      December 12, 2018 at 3:29 am

      5 stars
      Hi Daniela,

      This recipe was the bomb! I'm going to repeat the marinade and try cooking the chicken on the stovetop.
      I used a mix of dark and white meat, but I didn't have a cast iron skillet (just used a normal baking pan),
      so the breast turned out a bit too dry, but the thighs were so juicy and flavorful!

      Thanks for an awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        December 15, 2018 at 6:27 pm

        Absolute pleasure and so super stoked to hear that! The white meat will cook faster than the dark so perhaps try taking the white meat out of the pan before the dark next time. Would love to hear how it goes on the stovetop and thanks so much for the feedback :)!!!

        Reply
    5. Alex says

      January 08, 2019 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      Another one of my favorites because it has pomegranate. Making the chicken to taste so moist and with the mild sweetness of the pomegranate makes this the perfect main dish.

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        January 28, 2019 at 5:11 pm

        Yessss!!! That’s exactly the idea! Thank you so much Alex! ☺️

        Reply
    6. Alexis says

      September 16, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      Hi there! I would love to make this! What if I don’t have a skillet though? Can I use a normal baking pan in the oven? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        September 17, 2020 at 9:07 am

        Hi and yes! Any sad oven baking pan can work! So stoked to hear you're making it :). Please let me know your thoughts after!

        Reply
    7. Alissa says

      September 17, 2020 at 8:54 am

      Can you clarify - the recipe says 25 min for thighs and 45 min for breasts, but then says to take out breasts because they cook faster. This seems contradictory and I'm just not sure which need to come out of the pan and which stays in. Also, is this cooked over a medium heat? Covered or uncovered?

      Reply
      • Alissa says

        September 17, 2020 at 8:56 am

        Just realized this is cooked entirely in the oven. Because its called skillet chicken I assumed some was cooked on the stove. But can you confirm that as well?

        Reply
        • Daniela Gerson says

          September 17, 2020 at 9:13 am

          Hi Alissa and yes it's all cooked in a skillet in the oven though you can always sear the chicken, skin-side down, on the stove before if you'd like. I see you have a question about cooking times too... I'm going to go through this recipe and carefully update it! Sorry if there's been any confusion with it + I'm so stoked to hear you're making it + thanks for taking the time to leave me the feedback. Breasts cook faster than thighs; the chicken is fully cooked through and ready when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.

          Reply
          • Alissa Countryman says

            November 13, 2020 at 2:15 pm

            It came out great and was universally loved! Thanks!

            Reply
            • Daniela Gerson says

              November 18, 2020 at 2:12 pm

              Woooohoooo's! Thanks so much for sharing Alissa! Really appreciate ya letting me know how it came out and super stoked to hear it was universally loved :)!

      • Daniela Gerson says

        September 28, 2020 at 10:30 am

        Hi Alissa and so sorry for the confusion! I updated the recipe so it's much more clear now. The chicken is cooked in the oven, uncovered :). Would love to hear your thoughts after ya make it :)!

        Reply
    8. Scott McLean says

      December 10, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      So I used only boneless, skinless breasts as my wife does not like thighs. Came out incredible. I did not do the reverse seat at the end. I also had to make the pomegranate molasses. If you know your way around a kitchen it’s really doable. I always try to remember that this was made by poor people, recipes are just really nice ideas.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 20, 2020 at 8:02 pm

        So stoked to hear your feedback Scott! That's so super rad that ya made your very own pomegranate molasses! And absolutely positively agreed that recipes are a modern day phenomenon :). Thanks for taking the time to share!

        Reply
    9. Cynthia Fetty says

      December 11, 2020 at 9:10 am

      Planning to make tonight. What do you recommend serving this with?

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 11, 2020 at 10:33 am

        So stoked to hear that! I'd rec going with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors. And re-using the pomegranate molasses in either a salad dressing and/or a veggie dish. Something like a salad, roasted veggies (check out my cumin roasted carrots), and a rice pilaf. Let me know how it goes :)!

        Reply
    10. Nancy says

      December 25, 2020 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      I am making this for my Christmas dinner but I would like to know what side dishes you would recommend to go along with this main course. Please let me know as soon as you can - in the meantime I am going to use a Spinach salad and either glazed carrots or green beans, I will let you know how it turned out.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 25, 2020 at 9:31 am

        So stoked to hear you're making this tonight! I'd rec going with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors. And re-using the pomegranate molasses in either your spinach salad dressing and/or with your carrot side dish (can also check out my cumin roasted carrots). And a rice pilaf with green beans would also pair nicely. Let me know how it goes + ENJOY + Merry Christmas dinner :)!

        Reply
    11. arisa says

      January 19, 2021 at 7:30 am

      5 stars
      I made this chicken last night and it looked/tasted AMAZING!! The dish pairs with orange wine very well
      Thank you for sharing an awesome recipe, Daniela!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        January 19, 2021 at 11:55 am

        Absolute pleasure Arisa! Super stoked on your super sweet feedback! Thank ya so much for sharing + absolute pleasure :).

        Reply
    12. Mike says

      April 15, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Was stunning. Just served this to my mates with roasted spicy veg - sweet potato, turnip and carrot cooked in honey, olive oil, sriacha sauce and chilli flakes. The two balanced out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        May 25, 2021 at 7:26 am

        Absolute pleasure Mike + so stoked to hear ya served this to your mates + those roasted veggies sounds super delish!

        Reply
    13. Susie says

      April 19, 2021 at 2:13 am

      5 stars
      Hi Daniela
      This is a superb dish. I followed your recipe to the letter, marinating for a few hours and then cooking for 40 mins in total. You need to watch the last 10 mins at high heat because the skin can blacken in the blink of an eye. One thing I suggest is you let the chicken rest in a warmish place for 5 mins before serving while you carefully skim the oil that the chicken generates off the top of the remaining sauce. Otherwise that beautiful sauce separates into its component parts which detracts a little from the appearance. I served it on a bed of couscous, sprinkled on the pomegranates and parsley, a splash of sauce and had a garden salad on the side. Quick and delicious and amazingly inexpensive.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        May 25, 2021 at 7:25 am

        Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this super useful feedback Susie + happy to incorporate your notes into the recipe + really appreciate it! Sounds delish how ya served it on couscous with salad + thanks again so much for sharing :).

        Reply
    14. KAREN SCHUDSON says

      November 14, 2021 at 8:15 pm

      Hi Daniela. Your recipe sounds super! Can you make it a day ahead? If so, would you wait to turn up the heat the day of the event so it gets crispy then? I'm making it this Tuesday for a Wednesday dinner, so hope you will read this and respond before then. Would have written you sooner but just found your wonderful recipe.

      Karen

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        November 17, 2021 at 9:57 am

        Hi Karen + hope I saw this in time! You can make the full recipe the day before and then heat it up in the oven at 350 F before serving. Let me know how it goes + I'd love to see a pic too :)!

        Reply
    15. Lee says

      January 08, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      Soon good. I made the molasses myself.
      The dish itself was simple to make and super yummy!
      I've been eating it as leftovers, and I believe it tastes better everyday!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        February 05, 2022 at 6:56 pm

        So super stoked to hear that Lee + I really appreciate the sweet feedback! And that's so rad that ya made the molasses yourself! You're inspiring me to do the same next time :).

        Reply
    16. Larissa says

      July 07, 2022 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      I've made this several times, and it turns out great!
      Things I've tweaked: I always forget to buy pomegranate juice, so I've ended up just using extra pomegranate molasses, and that's seemed to work quite well

      Just like you commented above Daniela, I find this is awesome when seared: I individually brown the pieces of chicken before putting everything in the oven, which lends a deep caramelized flavor.

      I also find it easier to find drumsticks for some reason (and like the size better anyways), and they work well.
      One final thing with drumsticks: I have found it takes longer than indicated in the recipe to get drumsticks to 165, well over an hour in a Dutch Oven (which could also just be a quirk of my oven)

      Thanks for sharing this recipe, Daniela!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        July 11, 2022 at 11:27 am

        Absolute pleasure Larissa! Really appreciate you sharing your notes and feedback too! I love using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and will def double check on the drumsticks. Thanks so much for the comments :)!

        Reply
    17. Jennifer says

      January 15, 2023 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing dish! This has become a holiday favorite for my whole family. I opt to marinate on the long side--and the meat falls right off the bone.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        January 28, 2023 at 8:33 am

        So stoked to hear that Jennifer and thanks so much for sharing your sweet pomegranate chicken feedback :).

        Reply
    18. Paula says

      June 23, 2023 at 7:00 am

      Hi. I am looking forward to trying this but due to the expense of the molasses and juice here in the UK, (they have to be used up within days of opening) would it be possible to batch make the marinade and freeze the rest of it for fiuture use?

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        June 23, 2023 at 9:00 am

        So stoked to hear you want to make this Paula and absolutely yes! The marinade can be frozen for future use :). Please let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    19. Barbara says

      September 12, 2023 at 11:18 am

      Could this dish be made ahead, frozen, and reheated?

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 05, 2023 at 8:36 am

        Yep! Cooked chicken can be frozen. Allow it to cool to room temperature before freezing and enjoy Barbara!

        Reply
    20. Carolin Luchuck says

      April 16, 2024 at 5:44 am

      5 stars
      Made this the first time while traveling in Turkey, where pomegranates and their molasses are plenty, served with lemon risotto. So good! We are in Malta now, where rabbit is common. Do you think it would work with rabbit? It’s a drier meat…

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        April 16, 2024 at 10:02 am

        Thank you so much for sharing Carolin! So rad ya made it in Turkey where pomegranates are native! Never tried in with rabbit and absolutely think it can work ~ just modify the cooking time if necessary. Love to hear how it goes :).

        Reply
    21. Nancy says

      June 23, 2024 at 6:36 pm

      Just made this dish and although I followed step by step my sauce was very thin… I was hoping it would be thick and sticky … thinking next time to possibly either add a slurry of cornstarch at the end or brown the thighs with flour first???? The sauce did not reduce when I bumped up the temperature

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        June 27, 2024 at 1:36 pm

        Thanks for the feedback Nancy! Def want your sauce to be thick and sticky too and sorry to hear it didn't turn out that way. You can always reduce the sauce on the stove and I'll double check the recipe. Hope you loved the flavors!

        Reply

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    Meet Daniela

    VEGGIES ARE SEXY 

    Hi, I'm Daniela - a Los Angeles based food photographer and creative director. I began my career as a chef with a passion for sourcing colorful produce from local markets. I love emphasizing the beauty of real food with my images. I’m also a food stylist and recipe developer with a gorgeous prop-filled studio in Venice, California.

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    Pomegranate Chicken topped with pomegranate arils and parsley, in cast iron skillet on a white background; overhead shot.