Moroccan Braised Chicken Recipes

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 BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the apricots and the boiling water, let stand 10 minutes. Strain the apricots, reserving the the water, then dice the apricots. Set aside both the water and apricots until needed.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook 7 minutes, then add the celery and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Stir in the apricots and the reserved liquid, the chickpeas, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, coriander and pepper.
• Bring to a boil and return the chicken to the pan, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Stir in the cilantro and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag or container. Add chicken, coat with the paste and seal bag or container. Marinate in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Add chicken thighs skin-side down to stockpot and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken thighs and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes more.
• Lower heat to medium and add water to cover chicken halfway, cover stockpot, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover stockpot, sprinkle saffron threads onto chicken, and top with preserved lemon slices. Replace cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Uncover stockpot and transfer chicken to a serving platter.
• Continue simmering liquid in stockpot until thickened to sauce consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; top with olives, artichokes, and parsley.

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS AND THIGHS WITH CARROT JUICE, DATE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Using a 10-11" straight side ovenproof saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Arrange the chicken skin side down in the pan (it'll be crowded), and cook until deeply brown, about 5 minutes. Use a splatter screen if you have one). Turn the pieces over and cook until the other sides are deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to plate.
• Pour out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Put the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequestly, until it's soft and begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the ginger, cinnamon, and cumin and stir into the onions for about 1 minute.
• Pour in the carrot juice and broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• return the chicken to the pan. Cover, transfer to the oven and braise for 15 minutes.
• Add the dates and continue to braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meatstarts to come away from the bone, 30 to 35 minutes more.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and the dates to a serving dish and keep warm by loosely covering the dish with foil.
• Tilt the saute pan and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, abouth 5 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.