Chicken With Apricots And Cumin Recipes

CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS, LEMON AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Season chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper. (If time permits, do this an hour before cooking or up to 24 hours in advance. Keep refrigerated, but remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.)
• In a large skillet over medium heat, place chicken pieces skin-side down in one layer. Let chicken cook slowly to brown well on one side, about 15 to 20 minutes. When skin is crisp and lifts easily from the pan, it is ready. Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, make saffron water: In a small cup, combine saffron with lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Set aside to steep.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer chicken, skin-side up, to a baking dish. Pour off some fat from the skillet, reserving about 2 tablespoons. Add onions, salt lightly and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add saffron water and threads, tomato purée, cayenne, coriander, fennel, cardamom and wine to onions and bring to a simmer.
• Pour onion mixture over chicken. Tuck apricots and lemon slices among the chicken pieces. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour. Remove cover and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead. When ready to serve, reheat in a 350-degree oven, in a covered pot, 30 to 45 minutes.)
• To serve, garnish with cilantro and mint leaves. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve hot.

APRICOT CHICKEN II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Combine the apricot preserves, vinegar and brown sugar. Pour the preserve mixture over the chicken, cover, and bake for 50 minutes.
• Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes.

CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Combine apricots in a bowl with vinegar, wine and 1/4 cup water. Let soak while you brown the chicken.
• Turn the heat to medium high under a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and add chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook, rotating but not turning pieces so they brown evenly. When they are nicely browned - take your time - turn them so they are skin side up. Make a little space to add the onion, and cook, stirring the onion occasionally until it has softened a bit, a minute or two.
• Add apricot mixture and bring to a boil; cook for a minute, then turn heat to low and cover. Cook until chicken is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, raise heat and season chicken well with salt and pepper. Boil away any excess liquid; sauce should not be too watery. Serve with white rice or any other cooked grain, or bread.

APRICOT CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook in the hot oil until golden brown around the edges, but still pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, and cook for about 3 minutes more. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, bring it to a simmer, and allow it to reduce for a few minutes.
• Cut half of the apricots in half, leaving the others whole. Place the apricots into the skillet, and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the apricot preserves and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the apricots have softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

MOROCCAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chickens - see tip, below, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Put the olive oil, coriander, sumac, cumin, fennel, chilli, garlic, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses and some ground black pepper into a food processor or blender, and whizz to a paste. Divide between 2 large food bags, add a chicken to each, then squeeze out the air and seal before giving everything a good squelch to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 24-48 hrs in the fridge, turning and squishing every so often.
• Fire up a barbecue and let the flames die down, or heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lift the chicken out of the bags and season well with salt. Barbecue or roast the chicken for 25-30 mins on each side until crisp and cooked through. Set aside on a platter, loosely cover with foil, to rest while you do the apricots. If you roasted rather than barbecued, keep the tin juices warm for serving.
• Put the apricots in a small, snug roasting tin. Whisk the preserved lemon, honey, orange blossom and vinegar with some seasoning. Pour over the apricots and roast, or sit on the barbecue, for 20 mins until soft.
• Serve the chicken with any cooking juices, the apricots and saffron yogurt.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and salt and pepper.
• In a heavy skillet heat oil and saute chicken in oil until brown and cooked through.
• Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm while you make the sauce.
• Add onions and garlic to the skillet and saute.
• Add flour, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger to skillet and mix well.
• Whisk in chicken broth.
• Stir in apricots, lemon juice and honey.
• Boil sauce for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon; while the sauce is boiling occasionally stir to prevent burning it.
• Coat the chicken with the sauce by either mixing the chicken back into the skillet or mixing both chicken and sauce into a serving dish.
• Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

CHICKEN AND APRICOT MASALA

Steps:

• Soak apricots overnight in 2 cups cold water, or cover with 2 cups hot water and soak until swollen and softened, 2 to 3 hours.
• Prepare masala: In a small bowl, combine hot pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, garlic and ginger. Add 1/4 cup water, and stir to make a paste. Set aside.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat oil and cinnamon stick. Add onions and salt, and sauté until onions begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add masala, and stir. Add chicken, and stir for about 5 minutes. Add apricots and their soaking liquid, diced tomatoes and diluted tomato paste.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Check cooking liquid about halfway through; if chicken is covered with liquid, remove cover for remainder of cooking. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.