Roast Chicken With Dried Fruit And Almonds 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.

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.

CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• spray a pan with cooking spray.
• add chicken and brown on both sides, about 15 minutes, remove.
• add onion and garlic, cook until softened.
• add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, lower to medium heat and cook about 10 minutes until sauce thickens serve sauce over chicken.

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.