Moroccan Chicken With Honey Fruit Food

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. Zest the lemon. Combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set aside.
• Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water now and then if the pan gets too dark). Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken (with any accumulated juices) back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more.
• Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Serve with couscous.
• Note: Don't fret too much over trimming the chicken thighs. The skin gets removed midway through the cooking process and most of the fat will cook off and get drained. I usually just take kitchen shears and quickly snip off any excess skin or fat. Cracked green olives are olives that have been 'cracked' or split open before curing, allowing the brine or marinade to penetrate. You can find them in your supermarket's olive bar, or substitute any green olive that you like.
• Make-Ahead: After you have completed the step of cooking the carrots, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. To serve, gently warm on the stove until the chicken is heated through, then proceed to the step where the olives and remaining ingredients are added.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND APRICOT TAGINE

Steps:

• Gather the chicken ingredients.
• Combine the spices in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken.
• Add the chicken and toss to evenly coat the pieces with the spices.
• Gather the remaining tagine ingredients.
• Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in the base of a large tagine or Dutch oven.
• Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and cinnamon stick .
• Add the seasoned chicken, meat-side down, in a single layer on top of the onions.
• Place the cilantro bouquet on top. Add the broth to the tagine.
• In the bowl used to season the chicken, swirl the water to cleanse it of the spices.
• Add the water to the tagine.
• Cover and leave the liquids to reach a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Once simmering , cook the chicken, undisturbed, for 1 hour.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids and set aside.
• Carefully turn over the chicken pieces so that they are meat-side up.
• Cover the pan and continue simmering for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the chicken is done and the liquids are thick and reduced.
• While the chicken is cooking, put the apricots in a small pot and cover with water.
• Simmer the apricots over medium heat, partially covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender enough to pinch in half with your fingers.
• Drain the apricots and return to the pot.
• Add the sugar (or honey), ground cinnamon, and the 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid.
• Simmer the apricots gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are sitting in a thick syrup.
• Discard the cilantro bouquet and cinnamon stick from the tagine.
• Arrange the chicken on a large serving platter (or simply leave in the base of the tagine). Spoon the apricots and syrup on and around the chicken. If desired, garnish with fried almonds or sesame seeds.

MOROCCAN ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray the foil with cooking spray.
• 2. Mix together the honey, olive oil, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic in a small bowl. Place the chicken, onions, and potatoes in a large bowl. Toss with three-quarters of the honey mixture and arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan. Toss the apricots and raisins with the remaining honey mixture and set aside.
• 3. Bake the chicken, onions, and potatoes for 35 minutes. Add the apricots and raisins and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Garnish with the pistachios and cilantro.

MOROCCAN HONEY CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Pat chicken dry, then season chicken with salt and pepper.
• 2. In a heavy-duty 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and cook about 15 minutes or until chicken is deep golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
• 3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan and cook about 4 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Add cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and flour, and cook about 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and honey.
• 4. Return chicken to pan and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to 4 individual serving plates.
• 5. Simmer sauce in pan for 3 minutes. Add the capers and lemon zest to the pan. Taste and add more salt and pepper (or other seasonings), if needed. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro on top, and serve immediately.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH HONEY & FRUIT

Steps:

• 1. Using a large heavy pot, brown the chicken in olive oil; then remove to a plate.
• 2. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. Add cinnamon and ginger and allow the flavors to develop for 1 minute; then return the chicken to the pot. Add the lemon juice, stock and honey. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and gently cook for 1 hour.
• 3. When done, transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm. Add the raisins and almonds to the pot and boil the liquid until it is reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper and additional lemon juice if desired. Garnish with parsley. Serve with couscous and a salad.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN ONE-POT

Steps:

• Season 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof dish, then brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Whizz 1 chopped onion, 100g tomatoes, 100g chopped ginger and 3 garlic cloves into a rough paste.
• Fry 1 sliced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in the dish until softened, then add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp coriander and 1 tbsp cinnamon and fry for 1 min more until fragrant. Add the paste and fry for another few mins to soften.
• Return the chicken to the dish with 1 large butternut squash, cut into big chunks, 600ml chicken stock, 2 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.
• Bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through.
• Lift the chicken out and stir in 100g dried cherries, then continue simmering the sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Stir the chicken back into the sauce and season.
• Mix 1 finely chopped small red onion, the zest of 1 lemon, a handful of mint leaves and 100g crumbled feta cheese. Scatter over the dish, then serve with couscous and natural yogurt.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH HONEY AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt the margarine.
• Fry the chopped onions until soft, then add the chicken, salt, pepper, turmeric and cinnamon sticks.
• Don't worry, no one will make you eat a cinnamon stick unless you really want to.
• Add enough water to cover the chicken, about two cups.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the chicken is done, adding water if necessary.
• Remove the chicken pieces.
• Add the apricots and simmer for about fifteen minutes.
• Add the ground cinnamon and the honey, stir and cook until the sauce has a honey-like consistency.
• Add more honey if necessary.
• When the sauce is almost ready, saute the almonds in oil.
• Drain most of the oil from the pan, and toast the sesame seeds.
• Return the chicken to the pot and reheat.
• Place the chicken on a serving tray, pour the sauce on top of it and top with the almonds and the sesame seeds.
• Serve with couscous (except on Passover).

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.
• Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in base of tagine (or in skillet), uncovered, over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown half of chicken, skin sides down, turning over once, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown remaining chicken in same manner, adding any spice mixture left in bowl.
• Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tagine and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Tie cilantro and parsley into a bundle with kitchen string and add to tagine along with 1/2 cup water, chicken, and any juices accumulated on plate. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
• While chicken cooks, bring honey, remaining cup water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apricots are very tender (add more water if necessary). Once apricots are tender, simmer until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While apricots cook, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds, stirring occasionally, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Ten minutes before chicken is done, add apricot mixture to tagine. Discard herbs and cinnamon stick, then serve chicken sprinkled with almonds on top.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND HONEY

Steps:

• Heat 2 T oil in a large pan or pot. Add the chicken, tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon and saffron or turmeric.
• Cover, and cook over low heat, stirring from time to time, for 1 hour.
• Set oven at 400 deg F/200 deg Celsius.
• Remove chicken from pot, and roast in oven to brown slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook the sauce in the pot, uncovered, to thicken slightly. It should be like a sizzling cream. Stir all the time.
• Then add the honey and stir in well.
• Remove chicken from the oven, and return chicken to the pot. If the sauce is a nice consistency, turn heat very low so it does not reduce further.
• Heat the leftover 1 T oil in a separate pan and add the almonds. Cook for a few moments only (it burns easily, so stir it) Then add the sesame seeds, and cook briefly as well, until lightly toasted.
• Serve the chicken hot, covered with the sauce and sprinkled with the toasted nuts.

HARVEY'S MOROCCAN ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• For the spice mix: Mix together in a bowl the cloves, pepper, fennel, sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. Set aside.
• For the spice paste: Place the paprika, lemon juice, the spice mix (from Step 2), salt, chopped mint, black pepper and garlic cloves in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and blend to until ingredients are mixed, about 6 or 8 pulses. Slowly add the additional olive oil if mixture seems too thick to spread. Blend just until mixture is a smooth paste.
• Spread potatoes and carrots in a roasting pan. Rub about 1/4 of the spice paste inside the cavity of the chicken. Rub the remainder of the paste on the outside of the chicken including the underside. Place the chicken directly on the carrots and potatoes. Pierce the 2 lemons all over with a fork, and place them into the chicken cavity.
• Tent the chicken with aluminum foil. Roast approximately 2 hours until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUIT AND OLIVE TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme evenly over chicken.
• Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.
• Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan.
• Add onion to pan; saute 2 minutes until tender.
• Add garlic to pan; saute 30 seconds.
• Add remaining ingredients to pan (fruit, wine, broth, olives, salt, and pepper); cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
• When there was still some liquid left in the pan, I threw the chicken back in to warm through and soak some of the flavor.