To make chicken, preheat oven to 350 F.

In small bowl, combine sumac or lemon pepper, cardamom, and salt. Stir to blend. Divide equally among chicken thighs, massaging seasoning under skin with your fingers.

Heat 10 inch ovenproof or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ghee or butter and heat till it almost begins to smoke. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, leaving space in between each. Fry until skin becomes a rich golden color, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken and sear underside just until lightly browned. Remove to dish.

Whisk stock, pomegranate molasses, and maple syrup in skillet. Boil vigorously, with lid ajar, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet along with any juices that may have collected. Tuck thyme sprigs around chicken and sprinkle with red chilies.

Bake, uncovered, in oven for 35 minutes, or until meat registers 165 F when tested with meat thermometer in thickest portion of meat. Remove from oven when done.

Meanwhile, to make kisir, in dry saucepan over medium heat, toast rice or millet just until grains are pale golden and they begin to smell aromatic, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in boiling water and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; keep covered and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

While rice or millet cooks, whisk oil, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and salt in small bowl. Set aside. Combine tomatoes and their juice, cucumber, and yellow pepper in large bowl and set aside.

When rice or millet is cooked and has finished resting, stir in oil mixture to evenly coat. Transfer to bowl with tomatoes and gently fold in.

To serve, place a generous ladle of kisir into each of 4 serving bowls. Rest a chicken thigh on top. Drizzle with some pan juices and scatter with pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds, and chopped herbs. Add black pepper to taste.