Braised Cinnamon Chicken Recipes

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season chicken generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Place 3 chicken legs in pot; cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil.
• Add onion and 1/4 cup water to pot; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom. Add turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add 2 cups water and half the prunes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add remaining prunes to pot; raise heat to high. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes more. If not serving immediately, top chicken with sauce, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day in an airtight container. Otherwise, divide chicken among serving plates, and top with sauce.

ONE-POT BRAISED CHICKEN WITH COCONUT MILK, TOMATO AND GINGER

Steps:

• Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, undisturbed, until nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Turn heat to medium-low, add the onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt.
• Add the tomatoes with their juices and the coconut milk, and stir until combined, scraping up any brown bits that have formed at the bottom of the pan. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet along with any juices that have accumulated. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the rice, if using, among bowls and plate the chicken on top, spooning additional sauce over it. Scatter with cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if you like.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CHILE, CINNAMON, CARDAMOM AND CORIANDER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan, heat the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chili, and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add cinnamon, cardamom and coriander, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
• Add chicken to the pot along with the salt, pepper, potatoes, coconut milk and just enough chicken stock to half-cover the thighs and potatoes. Turn heat to high, bring just to a simmer, then cover and put in the oven. Cook until potatoes are tender and chicken thighs are cooked through, 45 minutes to one hour.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving dish. Tent loosely with foil and let rest. Skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the sauce, then return to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the lime juice and cilantro, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Pour the sauce over the chicken and potatoes, and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC-BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Melt butter with 1 teaspoon of the Liquid Smoke.
• Saute shallots until golden, then add garlic.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then brown chicken about 10 minutes, turning once.
• Add garlic and one cup of water to skillet and boil, stirring, one minute.
• Return chicken to skillet and arrange skin sides up.
• Gently simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and garlic is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Remove chicken from skillet; add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and remaining one teaspoon of Liquid Smoke.
• Boil, uncovered, until slightly thickened.
• Return chicken to pan and allow sauce to vinegar-sugar mixture to caramelize a bit on the chicken, about 10 more minutes.
• Season to tast with salt and pepper and serve!

EASY CHINESE SOY-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Begin heating soy sauce and water over medium flame. Add ginger, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise.
• Bring mixture to simmer and add chicken. Reduce heat to very low and cover casserole dish/pot. Make sure heat is as low as can be without turning off; simmering soy sauce can easily become rapidly boiling soy sauce, which can easily become a big mess to clean up.
• Cook chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Cut one open to check for doneness. Ladle chicken from sauce mixture and serve as is. Or if you're handy with a cleaver, chop up those thighs into smaller pieces. Garnish with scallions.

BRAISED MOROCCAN CHICKEN (D'JEJ MHAMAR)

Steps:

• Soak vermicelli noodles in hot water until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and add raisins, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 clove grated garlic, 1 teaspoon chopped preserved lemon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1 dash turmeric, salt, and pepper.
• Clean the chicken, keeping the skin intact. Stuff with the prepared vermicelli. Tie legs closed with kitchen string. Remove seeds from preserved lemon and cut into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add grated onion, preserved lemon, remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro, remaining 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon ginger, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. Stir together over medium heat. Add chicken and fry, being sure it doesn't stick and break the skin, about 2 minutes on each side.
• Add enough water that the chicken is about half immersed. Add saffron. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 30 to 40 minutes, checking water level occasionally. Add olives about 15 minutes before the chicken is finished. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove the chicken to a plate and reduce the sauce until it is thick, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pat the chicken dry and remove kitchen string; place in a baking dish. Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Broil chicken in the preheated oven, turning as needed, until skin is darkened and crisp, about 5 minutes total.
• Spread the sauce on a platter and place chicken on top.