Roast Chicken With Dried Fruit And Almonds Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUIT AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Transfer onions to large bowl; mix in prunes, dates, apricots, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Spread fruit mixture over bottom of large roasting pan.
• Tuck chicken wing tips under.
• Rub each chicken with 1/2 tablespoon remaining olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
• Sprinkle each with salt and pepper; place chickens, side by side, atop fruit mixture. Pour 11/2 cups water around chickens.
• Roast chickens 1 hour.
• Turn pan around; add more water to fruit mixture by 1/4 cupfuls if beginning to dry.
• Continue to roast chickens until brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chickens to carving board; let stand 10 minutes.
• Spoon fruit onto platter; top with chickens and any accumulated juices.
• Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUIT AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer onions to large bowl; mix in prunes, dates, apricots, sugar, and cinnamon. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread fruit mixture over bottom of large roasting pan. Tuck chicken wing tips under. Rub each chicken with 1/2 tablespoon remaining olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper; place chickens, side by side, atop fruit mixture. Pour 11/2 cups water around chickens. Roast chickens 1 hour. Turn pan around; add more water to fruit mixture by 1/4 cupfuls if beginning to dry. Continue to roast chickens until brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chickens to carving board; let stand 10 minutes. Spoon fruit onto platter; top with chickens and any accumulated juices. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

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).

CINNAMON CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until skin is brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; tent with foil.
• Add onion to drippings in same skillet; sauté onion over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add dried fruit and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ginger; stir to coat. Add broth; bring to boil. Remove skillet from heat, stir in couscous and 1 teaspoon mint. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Season couscous to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mound couscous on platter; place chicken atop couscous. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon mint and serve.

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.