Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives

Moxie

New member
I stumbled across this recipe somewhere a while back. The warm spices really caught my eye. It's now in the occasional rotation here. It's really good served with couscous.


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Moroccan Chicken with Lemon & Olives


Ingredients
1 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 strips lemon peel (each about 2 inches by 3/4 inch)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
5 cloves garlic, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, halved & sliced ½ inch thick
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp honey
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins, very large pieces cut into half-moons (about 2 cups)
1 cup green & kalamata olives, mixed
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped


Procedure



  • Combine spices in small bowl and set aside.
  • Mince 1 strip lemon zest; combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.
  • Season both sides of chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden. Turn chicken pieces and brown on second side.
  • When cool enough to handle, peel off skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.
  • Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a 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 bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits
  • Add thighs, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • 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 instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with 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 add garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Wow, what a lot of interesting flavors in that one, Moxie!

Anything with olives catches MY eye - copied and saved!

Lee
 

Moxie

New member
This was on the menu again last night. It had been a while and I had forgotten how much we liked it.
 
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