Moroccan Braised Chicken Legs And Thighs With Carrot Juice Date Food

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season chicken generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Place 3 chicken legs in pot; cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil.
• Add onion and 1/4 cup water to pot; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom. Add turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add 2 cups water and half the prunes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add remaining prunes to pot; raise heat to high. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes more. If not serving immediately, top chicken with sauce, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day in an airtight container. Otherwise, divide chicken among serving plates, and top with sauce.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS AND LEGS WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Arrange the chicken thighs and legs on a tray in a single layer and season them with salt, to taste. Turn the pieces on their other side and season again. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, carefully add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces. Allow them to brown on their first side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use metal tongs to turn the chicken pieces to sear their second side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray and set it aside.
• In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds and chili flakes, stirring rapidly to give them a quick toast, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and stir to combine. Season the ingredients with salt, to taste, then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to cook and all the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, keep the heat low and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. (Chef's note: If the sauce becomes overly thick or begins to stick to the bottom of the skillet, feel free to add some water, about 1/2 cup at a time.)
• When the chicken is cooked through, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve alongside the braised cabbage, if desired.

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS AND THIGHS WITH CARROT JUICE, DATE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Using a 10-11" straight side ovenproof saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Arrange the chicken skin side down in the pan (it'll be crowded), and cook until deeply brown, about 5 minutes. Use a splatter screen if you have one). Turn the pieces over and cook until the other sides are deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to plate.
• Pour out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Put the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequestly, until it's soft and begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the ginger, cinnamon, and cumin and stir into the onions for about 1 minute.
• Pour in the carrot juice and broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• return the chicken to the pan. Cover, transfer to the oven and braise for 15 minutes.
• Add the dates and continue to braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meatstarts to come away from the bone, 30 to 35 minutes more.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and the dates to a serving dish and keep warm by loosely covering the dish with foil.
• Tilt the saute pan and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, abouth 5 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.

SPANISH CHICKEN LEGS AND THIGHS WITH OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• In a large plastic bag combine flour, seasoning salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper (if using); shake bag to combine spices.
• Add in chicken pieces one at a time, shaking to coat with flour mixture.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat oil and brown chicken on all sides for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, adding in more oil if needed.
• Add in the tomatoes with juice, potatoes, onion, garlic, wine, capers (if using) and herbs; bring to boiling, reduce heat and cover with a lid.
• Simmer for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is done and no longer pink.
• Remove the chicken and transfer to a large serving dish, cover with foil to keep warm or place in a 200 degree oven.
• In a small bowl or cup combine the water with cornstarch; add/stir into tomato mixture in the Dutch oven, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring with a spoon.
• Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken in a large serving dish/bowl.
• Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS WITH OLIVES AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until almost smoking.
• Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour off the fat.
• Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Add the onion and 3 of the garlic cloves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes.
• Add the chicken to the skillet with the tomatoes, wine and rosemary; season with pepper and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer the chicken to plates and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the olives with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 garlic clove to a coarse paste.
• Stir the olive paste into the pan sauce and warm over moderate heat. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine chicken broth, paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a bowl.
• Heat oils in a cast iron skillet until they begin to smoke. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip thighs and continue cooking until skin is crispy, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Saute onion in the skillet until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture carefully over onion; scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
• Return chicken thighs to the skillet. Spoon some of the liquid over the thighs.
• Transfer skillet to the preheated oven; bake until chicken thighs are no longer pink in the center, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add olives to the skillet. Drizzle lemon juice over the thighs and garnish the whole dish with parsley.

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Pour broth into a large, wide saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in seasonings and garlic. Add onions and carrots to broth. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Boil gently until carrots begin to soften slightly, about 5 minute.
• Stir zucchini and chicken into broth. Then stir into broth with sugar, raisins and apricots. Increase heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is springy when pressed, 7 to 10 minute.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant (2-3 minutes).
• Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened (5-7 minutes). Use the spoon to break open the tomatoes and crush them.
• Add the chicken, sweet potato, golden raisins, water, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato is tender (25-35 minutes).
• Coarsely shred the chicken then stir in the lemon juice.
• Serve warm sprinkled with the almonds and cilantro.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS AND THIGHS WITH TOMATOES, POTATOES, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Let the chicken come to room temperature, then pat the pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow, flat container and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or a Dutch oven designed for braising, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, let it melt and heat until it begins to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large platter and set aside.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes and raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. The add the potatoes, olives, capers, and thyme, and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil again, then reduce the heat to low so the liquid is simmering, and return the chicken to the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, 25 to 35 minutes.
• To serve, place one chicken leg and one thigh in each of four shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce on top, getting some of the tomatoes, potatoes, olives and capers in each portion. Serve immediately.
• Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, parsley and thyme in an 8-quart stockpot. Add enough water to come up to 2 inches from the top of the pot. Place the pot over high heat and bring the liquid to a lively simmer--do not let the liquid boil. As soon as the liquid starts to simmer, reduce the heat so that you maintain a lively simmer throughout. (This could be anywhere from low to medium heat depending on the strength of your range.) Skim off any gray scum that floats to the top of the stock. Cook the stock, uncovered, for about 2 1/2 hours -- it should reduce in volume by one-quarter to one-third. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or clean stockpot, pressing on the solids in the strainer to extract all the liquid. If you like, season with salt to taste--I prefer to keep my stock salt-free.
• Use right away or transfer to air tight containers and refrigerate or freeze. The stock will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CHICKPEAS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan (I use my electric frypan for this) heat oil over medium heat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper the brown well on both sides; transfer to a plate.
• Add in onions and garlic; saute for about 5 minutes, then add in cumin, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon; cook stirring with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, honey, lemon zest and flour; stir to combine.
• Then add in the browned chicken; simmer covered for about 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes of cooking add in the raisins and continue to cook (UNCOVERED) until the chicken is completely cooked through (about 15-20 minutes).
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the chicken to plate/s.
• Add in the chickpeas and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with cooked rice.