When it comes to sour cherries, you probably think of fruitcakes, pies, desserts or jams. But sour cherries can be used in many different ways and also fit in savory main dishes, as in my today’s recipe Khoresht-e Albaloo – One-Pan Chicken with Sour Cherries خورشت آلبالو . The spicy flavor of the chicken harmonizes perfectly with the sour-sweet flavor of the sour cherries and is seasoned with just a few ingredients, such as saffron and lemon juice. This dish is a traditional Persian dish, which is also very popular with meatballs besides chicken. Do you also want a palate explosion, then be sure to try this dish!

COOKING WITH SOUR CHERRIES

In addition to sweet cherries, I absolutely love sour cherries. They’ re that summer fruit for me and I can’t get enough of them. Sour cherries are much more variable than you might think. That’ why there are some sour cherry recipes already on my blog, for example when used as a drink in Sharbat-e Albaloo – Persian Sour Cherry Lemonade, as well as in Morabay-e Albaloo – Persian Sour Cherry Jam and Sour Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream or even in savory dishes like Albaloo Polo – Multi-colored Sour Cherry Rice with Lamb Meatballs. In case you would like to have a change in in your cuisine, you can prepare this dish with fresh sour cherries or even with frozen sour cherries. I unfortunately didn’t get any fresh ones this year, so I switched to frozen ones. You can also use duck or quail instead of chicken. I also like to prepare it with lamb meatballs, the recipe is coming soon.

SOUR CHERRIES HEALTH BENEFITS

Sour cherries have cold and dry properties in Teb-e Sonati, a Persian traditional medicine. It contains vitamins A and C, folic acid, and some minerals from calcium to phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc. That makes them a real and even local superfood! Furthermore, they have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. Due to their high content of anthocyanins, they have a preventive effect against heart and vascular diseases, as they reduce blood pressure. In the case of diabetes, they have a blood sugar-reducing effect. They are also cholesterol-reducing, diuretic, and protect the kidneys. Their effect has also been proven in cases of gout, sleep disorders, inflammations, and arthritis. In addition, they have pain-relieving properties, for example, in muscle recovery after exercise, and a soothing effect on muscle pain. Their content of anthocyanins and other antioxidants overtakes superfoods such as blueberry or goji berry.

INGREDIENTS SAFFRON ESSENCE

1/2 tsp saffron threads*

30 ml boiling water

INGREDIENTS CHICKEN WITH SOUR CHERRIES

1 large onion

500 g pieces of chicken breast and thighs

INGREDIENTS SOUR CHERRY SAUCE

500 g sour cherries*

juice of one lemon

2-3 tablespoons sugar

PREPARATION SAFFRON ESSENCE

Grind saffron finely in a mortar, pour boiling water over it and leave it covered for a few minutes.

PREPARATION CHICKEN WITH SOUR CHERRIES

Peel the onion and cut it into slices. Fry them in a bit of olive oil until golden brown and spread them all around the pan. Place the chicken pieces in the center of the pan and fry until golden on both sides. Cover with a lid in between.

Spread saffron essence over the chicken pieces, pour a glass of boiling water over them, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.

PREPARATION SOUR CHERRY SAUCE

Just before the chicken pieces are finished, squeeze the lemon. Add sour cherries with the juice of the lemon to a small saucepan and bring to a boil once, reduce heat and sprinkle with sugar. Allow simmering briefly until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the sour cherries including the sauce to the chicken pieces and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Serve with rice.

BEFARMAYID!

Susan

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Have you cooked this or maybe another delicious recipe of mine? Feel free to leave me a comment below. If you tag your picture on Instagram with @labsalliebe  and use the hashtag #labsalliebe, I won’t miss a post and will be happy to leave you a comment as well. Can’t wait to see your creations.

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