Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Prunes & Olives
This never ending winter has me dreaming of all the exotic destinations on my travel wish list. I wish I could just escape the cold weather and travel to a warmer exotic destination. When it’s brutally cold outside I often indulge in dreaming of immersing myself in the food and culture of a foreign land. The imaginings of exotic countries and their delicious foods bestow a wonderful inner warmth.
Morocco is one of the top destinations on my travel bucket list. My food fancies often involve being be lost in the labyrinths of Casablanca and Marrakesh devouring tagines and couscous, and washing it all down with copious cups of mint tea. I have always wanted to spend time there learning traditional Moroccan cooking and understanding the influences that Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and African cuisines have had on the local food culture.
Since a prospective trip to Morocco isn’t currently on the cards, the closest I can get to it is with
my culinary experiments. I have been spending a lot of time online researching recipes and trying to come up with my own concoctions of Moroccan dishes. This was the inspiration behind my Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Prunes and Olives recipe. I do not have a classic tagine pot and hence I shy away from calling this a Chicken Tagine. Yet you can expect this chicken recipe to present you with several flavor elements of a classic Chicken Tagine. The lemons, prunes, olives and honey come together to give the chicken an interesting poise – a delicious balance of sweet, savory and tangy elements.
my culinary experiments. I have been spending a lot of time online researching recipes and trying to come up with my own concoctions of Moroccan dishes. This was the inspiration behind my Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Prunes and Olives recipe. I do not have a classic tagine pot and hence I shy away from calling this a Chicken Tagine. Yet you can expect this chicken recipe to present you with several flavor elements of a classic Chicken Tagine. The lemons, prunes, olives and honey come together to give the chicken an interesting poise – a delicious balance of sweet, savory and tangy elements.
If you are looking for a deep, flavorful hot dish to help you escape the cold weather (for even just a few minutes) this Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Prunes and Olives will provide you with the delicious diversion!
Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Prunes and Olives Recipe
Recipe adapted from Epicurious – Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Onions and Prunes
Time: Active 40 minutes Inactive: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6 people
Recipe adapted from Epicurious – Spiced Moroccan Chicken with Onions and Prunes
Time: Active 40 minutes Inactive: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs for boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon + 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons of paprika, divided
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 ½ cups of yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
10 pitted prunes, chopped
4-6 lemon wedges
¼ cup green pitted green olives, sliced
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 ½ lbs for boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon + 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons of paprika, divided
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 ½ cups of yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
10 pitted prunes, chopped
4-6 lemon wedges
¼ cup green pitted green olives, sliced
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Method:
1. Wash and dry the chicken. Make slits in it and sprinkle and rub it with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and 1 teaspoon of paprika and set in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Once the chicken is marinated heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in a medium-large Dutch oven or heavy bottom cooking pot. Add the chicken and sautee until almost cooked through and lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Using tongs set the almost cooked chicken aside on a plate.
3. Add to the same pot the onions, garlic, ginger and cinnamon stick and sauté until the onions are tender and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally to ensure that the onions and garlic do not burn.
4. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour. Cook stirring for one minute.
5. Slowly whisk in the low sodium chicken broth, ensuring you nicely scrape up bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the pitted prunes, lemon wedges, green green olives, lemon juice and honey. Stir and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened.
6. Once you reach a thick sauce consistency add the chicken and cover and cook till the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Cooking times vary based on a lot of factors, so make sure you test a piece to chicken to see the inside is white and no longer pink). Once the chicken has cooked season the dish with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings – honey, salt and pepper per your taste.
7. Turn of the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and serve hot alongside couscous or rice.
1. Wash and dry the chicken. Make slits in it and sprinkle and rub it with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and 1 teaspoon of paprika and set in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Once the chicken is marinated heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in a medium-large Dutch oven or heavy bottom cooking pot. Add the chicken and sautee until almost cooked through and lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Using tongs set the almost cooked chicken aside on a plate.
3. Add to the same pot the onions, garlic, ginger and cinnamon stick and sauté until the onions are tender and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally to ensure that the onions and garlic do not burn.
4. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour. Cook stirring for one minute.
5. Slowly whisk in the low sodium chicken broth, ensuring you nicely scrape up bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the pitted prunes, lemon wedges, green green olives, lemon juice and honey. Stir and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened.
6. Once you reach a thick sauce consistency add the chicken and cover and cook till the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Cooking times vary based on a lot of factors, so make sure you test a piece to chicken to see the inside is white and no longer pink). Once the chicken has cooked season the dish with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings – honey, salt and pepper per your taste.
7. Turn of the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and serve hot alongside couscous or rice.
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