Chicken With Apricots Lemon And Saffron 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.

BRAISED LEMON-SAFFRON CHICKEN AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle (or the bottom of a spoon and a bowl), grind the saffron threads into a powder as best you can. Add the 2 tablespoons hot water and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Place the chicken in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan or baking dish. Cut large potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan. Drizzle the chicken and potatoes with the oil, then season well with salt and pepper.
• Add the lemon juice to the saffron water, mix to combine, then pour over the chicken and potatoes, stirring to coat. Arrange the chicken skin-side down. Sprinkle evenly with the whole black peppercorns, if using, then cover tightly with foil. (It's OK if everything is close together.)
• Cook until the meat is tender and easily pulled from the bone, and the potatoes are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last 15 minutes, remove the foil, flip the chicken, stir the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes more, uncovered, to reduce some of the liquid.
• Season with black pepper and serve with rice or pita to soak up the lemony juices.

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.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a large non-stick skillet, brown chicken in butter and oil about 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked. Add salt and pepper. Set aside on a warm plate.
• In the same skillet, brown onion and bell pepper. Add oil if needed. Add garlic and keep cooking 1 minute. Add apricots, lemon juice, honey, saffron and stir well. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Let reduce until sauce has a texture of syrup. Adjust seasoning.
• In a bowl, mix spinach with a little bit of olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
• Slice the chicken. In 4 plates, serve the chicken on the spinach and put the apricots garnish on top.

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.