Moroccan Chicken Couscous With Dates Recipes

MOROCCAN CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH DATES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Season the chicken, then cook for 10 mins or until browned on both sides. Remove and put in a large baking dish with the dry couscous.
• Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon along with the stock, cumin, cinnamon and dates, then bring to the boil.
• Pour the date mixture over the chicken and couscous, sprinkle over the almonds, cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Serve sprinkled with the remaining zest and parsley.

SAUCY MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND LEMON WITH DATE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the lemon slices with the sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Arrange on a plate and let stand 10 minutes.
• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt and add the couscous and dates. Cover, remove from the heat, and set aside until tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in half of the cilantro. Cover and keep warm.
• Combine the cinnamon, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once, until the chicken is golden brown on both sides (but not cooked all the way through), about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the lemon slices in a single layer and cook until golden brown and caramelized on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
• Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the paste is a shade darker, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the chickpeas, chicken, and lemon slices and simmer, flipping the chicken occasionally, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro and serve on top of the couscous.

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-INSPIRED CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Make the seasoning rub. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and spices. Whisk to combine.
• Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper on both side. Pour about 3/4 of the rub you just made all over the chicken (reserve the rest for later) and toss to make sure all the pieces are well coated. Set aside for now.
• Put the vegetables and onions in a mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and pour the remaining seasoning rub. Toss to combine.
• Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large baking pan or rimmed sheet pan.
• Bake in the center of the heated-oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the juices run clear. The vegetables should also soften and gain some char.
• While the chicken and veggies are baking, prepare the couscous. Boil the water or both until bubbling. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and cook, tossing regularly, until the couscous is toasted to golden brown. Season with kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add the boiled water. Immediately turn the heat off and cover the saucepan. Leave the couscous undisturbed for 10 minutes, the couscous should absorb all the liquid. When ready, add the fresh parsley and fluff the couscous with a fork.
• When the chicken is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven. Spoon the couscous between the chicken pieces and allow it about 5 minutes to sop up some of the pan juices. Finish with the raisins, if you like.

COUSCOUS WITH DRIED DATES

Steps:

• Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine the carrots and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes; cover and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the onion to the skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon; remove from the heat.
• Add the couscous, chickpeas, apricots and lemon zest to the skillet. Add the carrots and the hot cooking water (return to a simmer if the liquid has cooled); stir to combine. Add the chicken and any collected juices. Cover and let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Season with salt.

YVONNE MAFFEI'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS, DATES AND BUTTERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof dish or pot with a tight lid, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, the ginger, the pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and rub it around in the mixture until evenly coated. Turn chicken breast side down and roast, uncovered, for 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine couscous, 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 5 to 15 minutes to soak.
• In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add almonds and cook, stirring constantly, just until toasted and golden; adjust heat so almonds and butter do not scorch. Turn off heat and stir in dates.
• Add almond-date mixture to couscous, along with any butter left in pan, and mix, fluffing the grains with a fork. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the sugar, the cinnamon and the orange blossom water (if using).
• Drizzle or paint honey over top of chicken (leave chicken breast-side down in pot). Add couscous mixture to the pot, arranging it around the chicken. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and return to the oven for 30 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove chicken and carve into serving pieces. Stir and fluff couscous, scraping up any chicken skin stuck to bottom of pan, and place chicken pieces back on top of couscous. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve immediately.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND DATE TAGINE

Steps:

• Cut the dates in half, discard the stone and then chop into six pieces.
• Slice the chicken into short strips.
• Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and stir in the onion.
• Cook until slippery and soft, then add in the pine kernels and lemon zest, salt and pepper.
• Turn down the heat and cook for about five minutes, before adding in the chicken.
• Cook until the meat is lightly browned.
• Squeeze the juice from half the lemon over the top, stir in the harissa, stock and dates.
• Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is reduced by half.
• You should end up with a thick, rusty coloured sauce.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous by placing it in a bowl and adding 300ml boiling water, remaining olive oil and salt.
• Cover and leave for 15 minutes, then use a fork to loosen the grains and mix in the butter.
• Serve the chicken mixture over the couscous, garnished with some chopped coriander and a lemon wedge.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH DATES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbl olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to a dish and set aside.
• Mix together the ingredients for the ras el hanout in a bowl or jar. Heat remaining tbl oil in dutch oven. Add onion, and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf, 1 tsp ras el hanout and chicken broth.
• Reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for about 25 minutes.
• Return chicken to the pot, turning pieces to coat with the pan fluids. Cook another 25 minutes.
• Add dates, almonds, and honey. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Store extra spice mix covered in cool, dark place.