Moroccan Chicken With Olives And Lemon

Submitted by: admin on April 2, 2020

Serves 4

Ingredients

1-1⁄4 teaspoons paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (2-inch) strips lemon zest
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (3-1⁄2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (4 breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks), trimmed, wings discarded
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
1-3⁄4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
2 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds, very large pieces cut into half-moons
1 cup cracked green olives, pitted and halved
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Combine paprika, cumin, ginger, cayenne, coriander, and cinnamon in small bowl and set aside. Mince 1 strip lemon zest and combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.
  2. Season both sides of chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is deep golden, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate; when cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.
  3. Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion slices have browned at edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add thighs and drumsticks, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add carrots and breast pieces with any accumulated juices to pot, arranging breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until breast pieces register 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Transfer chicken to plate and tent with aluminum foil. Add olives to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and stir in garlic mixture, lemon juice, and cilantro; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEAS AND APRICOTS
Replace 1 carrot with 1 cup dried apricots, halved, and replace olives with one 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed.

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