Arganas Moroccan Chicken Recipes

MOROCCAN LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil a medium straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Dry the chicken breasts well and sprinkle evenly with the salt. Place the breasts skin-side down in the hot pan and cook undisturbed until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken to the bone side and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove to a plate while you build the sauce.
• In the same pan, add the shallots and sweat, stirring occasionally, for a minute. Add the preserved lemon, olives and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the chicken broth and return to a simmer. Add the oregano and the chicken back to the sauce. Spoon some of the liquid over the chicken. Cover the pan and simmer gently until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F, about 25 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest in the sauce for 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
• Serve the chicken with a generous helping of the sauce and sprinkled with chive blossoms if using.

MOROCCAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS RECIPE

Steps:

• To begin making the Moroccan Roast Chicken with Apricots recipe, first tie the legs of the chicken together with wax free thread. Place the chicken on baking tray with breast side up. Pat dry the chicken.
• In a bowl add olive oil, cinnamon powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, paprika powder, red chilli powder, sumac, harissa paste, salt, pepper apricots, honey, whisk together. Rub this spice mix all over the chicken, under the breast, behind on it back evenly.
• Into the same bowl you mixed the spices, add all the vegetables. Add a few drops of olive oil, toss it together and place these vegetables some inside the chicken and some on the outside next to chicken.
• Preheat oven to 180 degree centigrade. Roast the chicken in oven for about 30 minutes. In between keep brushing melted butter over the chicken, also bast the chicken (the juices and olive oil that flows down into the baking tray pour it back over the chicken).
• Do this atleast 3 to 4 times in between the roasting time. Using tongs turn the chicken breast side facing down and roast for about 15 minutes. Remember to brush butter and bast the chicken at regular intervals. We want to see the skin turn brown.
• In a bowl add honey and apricots, coat the apricots well in honey. Next turn back the chicken with breast side facing up using tongs. Pour few tablespoon water and place the honey coated apricots over and inside the chicken.
• Roast for another 15 minutes. We know the chicken is roasted well when the thermometer inserted into the chicken thighs reads about 180 degree centigrade.
• Remove from oven and cut the chicken into pieces and serve hot.
• Serve Moroccan Roast Chicken with Apricots along with Herbed Butter Garlic Quinoa Recipe for a weekday night dinner.

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 CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and brown in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• Saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in same pan. When tender, stir in ginger, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and turmeric; stir fry for about 1 minute, then mix in broth and tomatoes. Return chicken to pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and zucchini to pan and bring to simmering once again; cover pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked through and tender. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

PAULA WOLFERT'S CHICKEN, MOROCCAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Wash the chicken, then drain. The remainder of this step is optional; the North Africans do it to purify the chicken. Blend the garlic with one tablespoon salt to make a paste. Rub the paste into the cavity and the flesh of the chicken. Rinse well.
• Place the chicken in the casserole with the spices, garlic, onions, herbs, oil and two cups water. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, turning the chicken often in the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, pit the olives. To rid them of their bitterness boil them three times, changing the water each time.
• Add the drained pitted olives and the lemon juice to the casserole and continue cooking until the chicken is very tender. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Using a slotted spoon, remove the olives and place around the chicken. Meanwhile reduce the cooking liquid in the casserole to a thick sauce. Adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste. Pour over the chicken. Serve at once.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a large heavy based pan, preferably one with a lid, add oil and when hot add diced onion and grated ginger and garlic, cook till soft but not coloured.
• If using whole spices, dry fry then in a small pan before grinding and adding to the onion, ginger and garlic mix along with the cinnamon. If not just add your spices all together, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and honey to the pan and cook till the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes over a low-medium heat.
• Add chicken, coating in the sauce, cover and cook slowly till chicken is cooked, 15-20 minutes, but check first if you are using a different cut.
• Season to taste and sere with, cous cous, salad, crusty bread, flat bread or whatever you fancy.

ONE-POT MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add chicken, tomatoes, carrots, celery, water, olives, raisins, ginger, salt, paprika, cumin, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; mix to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken has cooked through and flavors have mingled, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.

ARGANA'S MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large tagine (terra cotta cooking pot) or non-metallic cooking pot, mix the onions, garlic, ginger, saffron, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and lemon juice.
• Add the chicken and toss until all pieces are coated. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, pour the water into the tagine or pot. Add the salt and pepper.
• Place on the stove and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 35 - 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• While the chicken is cooking, in a separate saucepan, bring the olives and preserved lemon to a boil. Let cook for 10 minutes, then drain.
• Add the olive mixture to the chicken 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.
• (Please note that the 2 hour chilling time is included in the prep calculation.).