Moroccan Tagine Of Chicken With Apricots Recipes

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• 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.

MOROCCAN TAGINE OF CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a shallow non-metallic dish, mix the chicken with the crushed garlic, orange juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, cilantro, mint, cumin and nutmeg. Cover, and let marinate overnight (but give it a stir at least once).
• In a large dutch oven, heat 2 TBS oil over med/ high heat. Halve the onion lengthwise and thinly slice it crosswise. Add the onion and the minced garlic to the pot, and stir until softened and cooked, but not browned. Remove from pot and set aside.
• Add 1 more tablespoon of the oil and add the chicken, reserving the marinade. Brown the chicken in the pot and then add the onions, prunes, apricots and their soaking liquid, marinade, chicken stock and salt (tip: "rinse" the marinade dish with the chicken stock to ensure that all of the spices, etc, make it into the pot).
• Bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for 2-2 1/2hours. Towards the end, remove the lid from the pot to allow the liquid to evaporate a little.
• Serve warm and sprinkled with sesame seeds, if desired.

CHICKPEA TAGINE WITH CHICKEN AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Put oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken and brown well on both sides; remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes; add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, dried apricots and tomato. Cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan.
• Add chickpeas and 1 cup of stock or bean liquid to the pan and turn heat back to medium-high. When mixture reaches a gentle bubble, return chicken to the pan. Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for about 15 minutes or until tomatoes break down and flavors begin to meld. Stir in bulgur, adding more stock if necessary so that the mixture is covered with about an inch of liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook until the chicken and bulgur are both done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve in bowls garnished with parsley.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Mix cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger, mint, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup spice mix and set the remaining aside for another use.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add apricots and raisins. Cook until fruit is soft, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
• Pour enough olive oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven to coat the bottom; turn heat to medium. Coat chicken with the 1/2 cup spice mix and place in the hot oil; cook until golden brown and releases easily from the skillet, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Mix onion and garlic into skillet with chicken; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add apricots, raisins, reserved 1/2 cup water from fruit, chicken broth, and honey; reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until chicken is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Serve chicken garnished with cilantro and almonds.

INSTANT POT® CHICKEN TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Place olive oil in the hot cooker and fry chicken thighs until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the inner pot and set aside.
• Add onion and garlic to the pot, followed by cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and saffron. Cook and stir until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Press Cancel to leave Saute mode.
• Place chicken back into the pot on top of onion mixture. Pour in tomatoes and chicken broth. Sprinkle apricots over the top. Season with salt and pepper. Close and lock the lid.
• Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 15 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Stir in chickpeas and mint leaves.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND APRICOT TAGINE

Steps:

• Gather the chicken ingredients.
• Combine the spices in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken.
• Add the chicken and toss to evenly coat the pieces with the spices.
• Gather the remaining tagine ingredients.
• Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in the base of a large tagine or Dutch oven.
• Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and cinnamon stick .
• Add the seasoned chicken, meat-side down, in a single layer on top of the onions.
• Place the cilantro bouquet on top. Add the broth to the tagine.
• In the bowl used to season the chicken, swirl the water to cleanse it of the spices.
• Add the water to the tagine.
• Cover and leave the liquids to reach a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Once simmering , cook the chicken, undisturbed, for 1 hour.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids and set aside.
• Carefully turn over the chicken pieces so that they are meat-side up.
• Cover the pan and continue simmering for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the chicken is done and the liquids are thick and reduced.
• While the chicken is cooking, put the apricots in a small pot and cover with water.
• Simmer the apricots over medium heat, partially covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender enough to pinch in half with your fingers.
• Drain the apricots and return to the pot.
• Add the sugar (or honey), ground cinnamon, and the 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid.
• Simmer the apricots gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are sitting in a thick syrup.
• Discard the cilantro bouquet and cinnamon stick from the tagine.
• Arrange the chicken on a large serving platter (or simply leave in the base of the tagine). Spoon the apricots and syrup on and around the chicken. If desired, garnish with fried almonds or sesame seeds.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAJINE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup grated onion, and the oil.
• Rinse the preserved lemons, and remove the pulp. RESERVE the lemon peel for later use.
• Add the lemon pulp to the mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Mix everything together and place in a large plastic bag to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (Twenty-four hours really gives the chicken the best flavor.)
• In a large Dutch oven or casserole, place the chicken and marinade; add the stems of the parsley and cilantro, the rest of the grated onion, the powdered saffron and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cover, stir the chicken and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
• Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Keep sauce on stove and begin to reduce.
• Slice the preserved lemon peel into thin slices and add to the sauce along with the olives, parsley and cilantro. Reduce until the sauce is just a little thick. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes at most.
• Uncover the chicken and remove the skin from the chicken. (It doesn't look pretty and who needs the extra fat.) Pour sauce over chicken and 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 TAGINE OF CHICKEN WITH PRUNES, APRICOTS, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy frying pan with a cover. Add the onions, and sauté slowly until golden. While the onions are cooking, season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Push aside the onions and tuck the chicken pieces into the pan. Brown them well on all sides.
• Add the prunes, raisins, and apricots to the chicken pieces, along with the saffron, cumin, and paprika, and a cup of water. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. (Add more water if necessary.)
• Just before serving, toast the almonds in the microwave for 3 minutes, and sprinkle them over the chicken. Serve with saffron rice (see page 278).