Moroccan Spiced Tomato Chicken Food

MOROCCAN-SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees F. Toss the green beans and carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon each ras el hanout and salt and a few grinds of pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the upper rack until tender and lightly browned, adding the almonds halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with the remaining 1 teaspoon ras el hanout and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add to the skillet; cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to another rimmed baking sheet and roast on the lower oven rack until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, then add the apricots, olives and harissa. Cook until the apricots soften and the broth is reduced by two-thirds, about 5 minutes; season with salt. Pour any accumulated juices from the chicken into the sauce.
• Slice the chicken and serve with the roasted vegetables. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

MOROCCAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Make the seasoning rub. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and spices. Whisk to combine.
• Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper on both side. Pour about 3/4 of the rub you just made all over the chicken (reserve the rest for later) and toss to make sure all the pieces are well coated. Set aside for now.
• Put the vegetables and onions in a mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and pour the remaining seasoning rub. Toss to combine.
• Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large baking pan or rimmed sheet pan.
• Bake in the center of the heated-oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the juices run clear. The vegetables should also soften and gain some char.
• While the chicken and veggies are baking, prepare the couscous. Boil the water or both until bubbling. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and cook, tossing regularly, until the couscous is toasted to golden brown. Season with kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add the boiled water. Immediately turn the heat off and cover the saucepan. Leave the couscous undisturbed for 10 minutes, the couscous should absorb all the liquid. When ready, add the fresh parsley and fluff the couscous with a fork.
• When the chicken is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven. Spoon the couscous between the chicken pieces and allow it about 5 minutes to sop up some of the pan juices. Finish with the raisins, if you like.

MOROCCAN-SPICED TOMATO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Spray the inside of the crock with nonstick cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 minute. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. When cool, coarsely chop.
• Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until just fragrant about 20 seconds. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning once, until lightly browned (4 - 5 minutes). Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker.
• Combine salsa, currants, honey, cumin, and cinnamon and pour over the chicken. COver and cook on LOW for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
• Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with toasted almonds.

MOROCCAN SPICED LAMB OR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the meat with a spice blend of the cumin, coriander, chili, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, add the meat and brown all over. Remove to a plate, reduce the heat a bit and add more EVOO, the chiles, onions and bay leaves. Cook to soften, 6 to7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, stock, zest and juice. Once the liquid comes to boil, add the meat back in and reduce the heat to thicken it a little. Serve with flat bread or couscous.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cut 3 deep slashes into each chicken breast and place in an ovenproof baking dish. Mix the lemon zest, juice, oil and spices together, then pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins.
• Cook the quinoa according to pack instructions then tip into a large bowl. Stir through the rest of the ingredients and divide between serving plates. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve on top of the quinoa with the juices drizzled over.

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 KOFTE WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak eight wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes, to stop them burning.
• Using your hands, mix the meat in a bowl with the onion, coriander, mint and plenty of seasoning. Shape into 8 sausages, about 10cm long, then thread a bamboo skewer through the centre of each.
• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and briefly fry. Add tomatoes, harissa, sugar and seasoning. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until sauce has thickened.
• Grill the kofte for 6-8 mins, turning until they are nicely browned (be careful not to burn the skewers). Spoon the sauce over a warm platter, drizzle over the yogurt and put the kofte on top. Scatter with pine nuts and serve with pittas or couscous (recipe, below).

ONE-POT HARISSA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken breasts all over with the cumin and lots of ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken with the onion for 4 mins. Turn the chicken over and cook for a further 3 mins. Stir the onions around the chicken regularly as they cook.
• Tip the tomatoes and 250ml water into the pan and stir in the harissa, honey, courgettes and chickpeas. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 mins until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

SPICED TOMATO DIPPING SAUCE - MOROCCAN STYLE

Steps:

• Saute onion, garlic, ginger and spices in olive oil in large saucepan over moderately low heat.
• Stir frequently until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and simmer over moderately low heat about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes with juice and brown sugar.
• Increase heat slighly and simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Cool slightly.
• Puree sauce in blender or food processor until smooth.
• Be careful when blending hot liquids.
• Serve at room temp or slightly warmer.