Grilled Quail with Pomegranate Glaze on Naan

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I swear, the first time I made this, I felt like I was eating something straight off a fancy restaurant menu, but in reality I was just standing over the stove in my hoodie.

The quail gets all smoky and tender from the grill, and then you hit it with that sticky sweet pomegranate glaze that tastes like autumn dressed in jewelry.

Wrap it all in warm buttery naan with a swipe of yogurt and a handful of fresh cilantro and it feels way fancier than it actually is.

I make this for guests when I want them to think I put in a ton of effort even though it is honestly pretty simple.

Ingredients

For the quail

4 quail breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Half a teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Half a teaspoon cumin

For the glaze

1 cup pomegranate juice
Quarter cup honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Quarter teaspoon cinnamon
Quarter teaspoon salt
Small pinch chili flakes if you want a kick

For building the sandwich

4 small naan breads
2 tablespoons butter
Half cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh cilantro
Quarter cup pomegranate arils if you want them to sparkle a bit

Making the glaze

I throw the pomegranate juice, honey, balsamic, cinnamon, salt, and chili flakes into a little pot and let it simmer.

It takes around 15 minutes to get thick and syrupy. Your kitchen is gonna smell like sweet tangy candy.

I pull it off the heat once it coats the back of a spoon and let it chill for a minute.

Seasoning and grilling the quail

I pat the quail dry, rub it down with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin. I let it sit just for ten minutes so it soaks in a bit.

Then I heat my grill pan until it is good and hot. Two to three minutes per side is enough.

I brush some glaze on during the last minute so it sticks like caramel.

I let it rest for five minutes before slicing it up.

Toasting the naan

I spread butter on both sides of the naan and heat it in a skillet until it is warm and just barely crisp.

if I am lazy I just toss them in the oven for a few minutes.

Assembling

I spread yogurt on one side of each naan.

I pile on the sliced quail, drizzle more glaze all over it, then throw on a handful of cilantro.

If I am trying to show off I sprinkle pomegranate arils so it looks jewel studded.

You can fold it like a taco or leave it open faced. Depends how messy you feel like being.

Serving

I like it warm right off the pan. Sometimes I pair it with a salad with figs or roasted sweet potatoes. If I am drinking wine I go for Pinot Noir.

If not I mix pomegranate juice with sparkling water and pretend it is a cocktail.

Leftovers

I keep the glaze and quail in separate containers in the fridge.

They last around three days. I reheat the quail at 350 for five minutes.

I always use fresh yogurt and cilantro when I rebuild it so it tastes bright again. Naan stays soft for a day or I just freeze some extra.

Tips I Learned the Hard Way

If you cannot find quail just use chicken breast or Cornish hen. The glaze is even better if you make it the day before.

Pita works too if you have no naan. If you cannot handle spice just leave out the chili flakes.

Sometimes I marinate the quail early so when dinner time hits I only have to grill and assemble.