Roast chicken with pomegranate molasses and pistachios

In my cooking classes, people frequently mistake pomegranate molasses for balsamic reduction because it is similar in colour (dark) and viscosity (thick), but, in addition to being dramatically less expensive, pomegranate molasses is less vinegary and acidic and more fruity and tart. Because its flavour profile is not quite so overpowering, I find it easier to incorporate into a range of dishes. It’s wonderful drizzled on salads like Basic Bitter Salad (page 98), dippy things like hummus or Whipped Tahini (page 18), baked or roasted fish, desserts, and of course roast chicken, where itcuts through the rich fatty flavour of the crisp skin and also adds excitement to the meat itself. Pair this recipe with a simple salad, a plate of chickpeas, or butter beans drizzled in olive oil and lemon for a low-key family dinner-perhaps with a slightly chilled bottle of gamay for the adults.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 small chicken (2 to 3 pounds/900 g to 1.35 kg), room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pomegranate molasses
• ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped pistachios, toasted (see Swap It)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Line a medium roasting pan with parchment paper or foil. Make a note of how many pounds your chicken is before you discard its packaging.

Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil. Liberally sprinkle it with salt and pepper, inside and out. If there is an excess of skin or fat around the cavity, trim it off and discard.

Place the chicken in the prepared pan, untrussed. Roast for 10 minutes per pound, plus an extra 8 to 10 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.

With the chicken upright and the cavity facing you, use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to begin cutting the chicken in half, lengthwise, along one side of the backbone. Flip the chicken and cut between the breast meat and the keel bone so the chicken comes apart in two more or less equal halves.

Arrange the chicken on a platter. Drizzle it with the pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle the pistachios on top. Serve immediately.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also use them to make all kinds of wonderful things, like Chicken and Dumplings (page 223), Coconut Broth with Noodles, Sweet Potato, and Leftover Protein (page 216), Dill Pickle Pizza (page 189), and, of course, Chicken Broth (page 220).

Excerpted from Easy Does It by Christine Flynn. Copyright © 2026 Christine Flynn. Photography by Suech and Beck. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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