Safois Moroccan Chicken Tagine Epicurious Food

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.

SAFOI'S MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Combine the saffron, ginger, salt, pepper, olive oil, and canola oil in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Clean and thoroughly wash the chicken, then cut it into 8 pieces.
• Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, massaging the marinade into the chicken.
• Cut the carrots in half and remove their yellow cores.
• Open the tagine and lay the onion on the bottom. Arrange the carrots over the onion.
• Lay the chicken with all of the marinade over the vegetables. Add 1 cup (240 ml) water and cover.
• Cook on very low heat for 1 hour. Check at the 30-minute mark to ensure the bottom is not dry. Add another 1/2 cup (120 ml) water if necessary.
• In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the olives and the preserved lemon.
• Garnish with parsley to serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Heat tagine, pan or wok over medium high heat, add almonds and dry fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Heat oil in same pan, then add garlic and onion and saute over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Chop chicken into 2 cm chunks, add to pan and cook for 10 minutes or so, turning regularly until browned on all sides.
• Meanwhile mix together harissa paste, water, currants, honey, cumin and cinnamon.
• Add mixture to chicken and mix well.
• Add chick peas, tomatoes (cut into sixths or eighths) and olives, if using. Mix well.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook.
• Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add more water if necessary, or if too wet, remove lid and reduce.
• Serve over couscous (preferably) or rice.
• Top with browned chopped almonds.

MOROCCAN-SPICED CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Place the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, zucchini and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
• 2. Add all remaining ingredients except the couscous and cilantro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the couscous, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 to 7 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Stir caraway seeds in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to processor. Add next 10 ingredients. Purée until coarse paste forms. Rub paste all over chicken halves.
• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken halves to pot. Add enough water to almost cover chicken. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender, turning once, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to baking sheet. Add cilantro to liquid in pot. Boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Broil chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Serve with braising liquid.

ESTHER'S MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Rub all pieces of chicken with a mixture of salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for 1 hour.
• In a separate saucepan, cover the prunes with cold water and add the cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 -30 minutes depending on dryness of prunes.
• Steam the onions in the casserole with the turmeric, saffron, ginger, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of water for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile brown the almonds in a saucepan with oil and drain onto paper towels.
• Using the same oil and pan, brown chicken on all sides then transfer to the steamed onions and add 1 cup water. (this can be transferred into the tagine at this point and placed in oven ). Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the cooked prunes and some of the prune water to the tagine and continue cooking until the chicken and prunes are really tender.
• To serve, place chicken pieces on a serving dish (or simply leave in the tagine). Cover with prunes and sauce, then sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds (if desired).

CLASSIC MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Finely dice the onions and sauté in a large pot with the spice mix, using the olive oil.
• When the onions and spice mix starts to give off a fragrant smell, add in the diced chicken. Fry this off for 2 minutes.
• Add the cans tomato, stock, 1 cup of water, chickpeas and the juice of half a lemon.
• Season with salt and pepper and let this simmer for 15 minutes. If it gets to thick too quickly add in more water.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer onions into a tagine. Layer chicken pieces on top of onions.
• Combine turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, and salt in a small bowl; mix well with remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil. Spread spice mixture onto the chicken pieces. Add cinnamon pieces, bay leaves, ginger, and cilantro. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and cover tagine with a lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat while chicken is cooking. Add sliced pears and honey and cook, while stirring, until honey has caramelized.
• Remove tagine from the oven and stir in caramelized pears. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Mix cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger, mint, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup spice mix and set the remaining aside for another use.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add apricots and raisins. Cook until fruit is soft, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
• Pour enough olive oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven to coat the bottom; turn heat to medium. Coat chicken with the 1/2 cup spice mix and place in the hot oil; cook until golden brown and releases easily from the skillet, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Mix onion and garlic into skillet with chicken; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add apricots, raisins, reserved 1/2 cup water from fruit, chicken broth, and honey; reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until chicken is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Serve chicken garnished with cilantro and almonds.