Chicken with Quince
4 servings
90 minutes
Chicken with quince is a dish that combines the tenderness of meat with the fruit's tartness. This recipe carries notes of Eastern cuisine, where the balance of flavors plays a key role. Quince adds a light sweetness and astringency that pairs beautifully with the aroma of saffron, cinnamon, and fresh mint. Sautéed vegetables create a rich base, while narsharab sauce complements the composition with a velvety pomegranate hue. Slow cooking in broth allows each ingredient to unfold, uniting them in harmony. This dish is perfect for a cozy family dinner or a leisurely gathering where depth of flavor and warmth of home cooking are appreciated.
1
Cut the young chicken into portion pieces. Julienne the carrot and celery, and slice the onion into half rings. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil in a deep skillet until soft — it's best if it's a large cast-iron skillet with thick walls and a heavy lid.
- Chicken: 1 piece
- Carrot: 2 pieces
- Celery: 2 stems
- Yellow onion: 3 heads
- Olive oil: 50 ml
2
Add pieces of chicken to the vegetables and fry the chicken until there are no signs of its rawness. That is, the meat may still be raw inside, but there should be no pink raw pieces visible on the outside.
- Chicken: 1 piece
3
At this moment, add peeled and sliced quince to the vegetables and chicken, mix, and simmer for another five to ten minutes. Pour in the broth, add bay leaf, cinnamon, quartered lemons, saffron, narsharab sauce, season with salt and pepper, mix, bring the broth to a boil, reduce the heat to minimum, and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Quince: 4 pieces
- Chicken broth: 1 l
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Cinnamon: pinch
- Lemon: 2 pieces
- Saffron: pinch
- Narsharab sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground red pepper: to taste
4
Try adding salt and pepper if needed, mix with finely chopped mint. Remove from heat, let it sit for a while, and serve.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground red pepper: to taste
- Mint: 20 g