This is a great recipe to have for either entertaining or a weeknight dinner. As written, this dish is not spicy, but you can turn up the heat if you wish by adding more of the Chipotle in Adobo as well as using spicy Harissa instead of the mild version.
Special Equipment for this dish:
I used a 4 quart, oblong cast iron dutch oven with a lid when cooking this dish. It is not something everyone has in their kitchen tool kit, so, you can use a round cast iron dutch oven or, even a cast iron pan instead. Just make sure you can cover the pan with either a makeshift lid or heavy duty foil.
You can also use a crockpot!
Tips and Tricks for this dish:
When searing the thighs, rub the thighs with oil vs adding oil to the pan. Get the dry pan hot, then add the greased and seasoned thighs, skin side down. This will prevent a ton of grease splattering and the need to pour out extra grease from the pan while cooking.
Don’t have a cast iron dutch oven or are on the run? You can make this dish in the crockpot. Assemble in the AM and come home to a house that smells amazing and a warm, cozy meal to boot!
Use an excellent brand of coconut milk for best results. You want one that has minimal ingredients. Coconut, water and one type of stabilizer, such as guar gum. Use full fat coconut milk here. You could replace it with heavy cream, but the sauce may curdle from the long cooking time.
Do make sure you chop your vegetables evenly in a medium dice/chop. They simmer in the sauce for a while, but if you make them too big, they may not cook to be super tender as the medium dice does.
Do garnish the dish with extra Pomegranate Molasses! It just is a flavor pop that brings the meal to new heights!
If the sauce is too liquidy for your tastes, take a few extra moments to boil it down to a thicker consistency.
What Pairs Well With This Dish?
I paired this dish with a Coconut Pomegranate Rice. The complementary flavors give body to the dish and enhance the flavors in the dish while being a great vehicle to soak up all that beautiful sauce!
If you wish, you can also serve a green vegetable on the side as well. My suggestion would be a quick sauté of sugar snap peas!
Can this dish be made in advance?
Yes. You can either prep out all the ingredients and store in fridge until ready to cook, or, you can make the whole meal from start to finish, cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It heats up well in a 375F oven for about 20-30 minutes. To reheat the rice, just pour a bit of the sauce from the chicken over the top, cover with foil and then heat along side the chicken in the oven for the same amount of time.
Can this dish be frozen?
Although I’ve not tried it, I but this dish would also freeze beautifully. Let me know how it goes!
Allergy Alert:
This dish is naturally Dairy Free. Replace the Soy Sauce for Tamari, if you need the dish to be Gluten Free. If you have a nut allergy, simply omit the pistachios and, if you can have seeds, substitute sunflower seeds instead.
