Raissa and I made this at my house last weekend for a few friends and it was a huge hit! The chicken was delicious and so tender... yum!
From Gourmet May 2006
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons plus
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (3-lb) chicken, cut into 6 pieces, wings and backbone discarded
1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 medium red onion, halved, then sliced
1/4 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 fresh cilantro
5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons mild honey
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, separated into halves
1/3 cup whole blanched almonds
Special equipment: a 10- to 12-inch tagine or heavy skillet; kitchen string
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.
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Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots
ReplyDelete(adapted from The New York Times )
4 skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
1″ piece of fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1.5 t ground coriander
1 T ground cumin
1.5 t ground cinnamon]
cayenne pepper, to taste
3/4 c dried apricots
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1-2 c chicken stock, or water
1/2 c bulgur (or couscous)
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook until brown on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
Reduce the heat of the pot to medium and add the onions. Cook until onions become soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, apricots, and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chickpeas to the pot, along with a cup of chicken stock or water. When the mixture reaches a gentle boil, bring the chicken back to the pan. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break apart. Stir in bulgur or couscous. If necessary, add more stock or water (no more than a cup) to the pan. Add salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer until the bulgur is done and the chicken is nearly falling off the bone, about 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will be less if you substitute with couscous. In the last minute of cooking, stir in freshly chopped parsley. Season to taste and serve.
Serves 3-4