Moroccan Braised Chicken With Orange Couscous Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH DATES AND MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and flour. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken pieces to pot and cook until browned on all sides, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to baking sheet or platter; repeat with remaining chicken. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot and discard. Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots to pot; sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add cinnamon sticks, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high; add broth and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until shallots begin to soften, about 18 minutes. Place chicken pieces atop shallots in pot. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of drumstick is pierced with knife, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer chicken and shallots to platter; tent with foil. Boil juices in pot until slightly thickened. Stir in dates and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer gently until dates are heated through, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce and dates over chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro, and serve.

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.

GRILLED CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS AND PISTACHIO

Steps:

• For the couscous: Put 1 1/2 cups water, the salt, cumin and pepper in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat, cover and let sit until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the couscous to a bowl, fluff with a fork and add the pistachios, mint, parsley and lime zest to taste. Set aside.
• For the apricot-balsamic glaze: Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk in the apricot jam and let cool slightly.
• For the chicken and apricots: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling.
• Brush the chicken and apricots with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 9 minutes total. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Grill the apricots cut-side down until golden brown and slightly charred; turn over and grill until just heated through. Slice into wedges.
• Transfer the couscous to a plate and arrange the chicken and apricots on top. Drizzle with the apricot-balsamic glaze.

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ORANGE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Moroccan Chicken
• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Heat 6 3/4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• Add olive oli to the heated Dutch oven. Place half of the chicken pieces in the pot, skin side down. Salute on both sides until golden-brown. Remove and reserve, and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
• Pour off most of the fat from the Dutch oven. Over low heat, add the fennel, onion and bay leaf. Sweat until tender. Add chopped garlic and sweat 2-3 minutes.
• Add coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, tomato paste and 2 teaspoons salt. Add white wine and reduce by half.
• Add chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro leaves, honey and tomatoes. Place the chicken thighs into the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, then return to the stovetop.
• Add the eggplant, zucchini, olives and chicken breasts. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and return to the oven. Cook 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with orange couscous
• Orange Couscous
• In a large saucepan, bring orange juice and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous and cover.
• Turn off the heat. Let steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in olive oil.