Moroccan Chicken Soup With Apricot Couscous Recipes

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS AND GREEN OLIVE SAUCE IN FLAT BREAD

Steps:

• To prepare the Moroccan Spice Mix for the Chicken: Combine the cinnamon stick, cloves, cayenne, cumin, fennel, coriander, and paprika in a dry skillet over low heat and toast for just a minute to release the fragrant oils; shake the pan so they don't scorch. In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together, with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and the brown sugar. (A word of advice: make sure you thoroughly wipe out your coffee grinder before you make coffee again - Moroccan spices taste great on chicken but horrible with coffee.)
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Massage the chicken skin with the spice rub; make sure you don't miss a spot. Season the inside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the lemons halves, cilantro, and garlic in the cavity and place the chicken in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Fold the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Drizzle the oil all over the chicken. If you have time, let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to really get the flavors down deep into the meat. Roast the chicken for 1 hour; pop an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; if it reads 160 degrees F, it's done. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes so the juices can settle back into the meat. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Pull the chicken from the bone and shred the meat, with your fingers or 2 forks. Put the shredded chicken in a large bowl and squeeze the lemon halves that have cooked inside the bird over the meat to moisten.
• To prepare the Apricot Couscous: Put the couscous in a medium bowl; pour the water over it, stir with a fork to combine. Cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork. Put the apricots, almonds, green onions, mint, and cilantro on a cutting board and coarsely chop everything up; add this to the couscous. Add lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
• To prepare the Green Olive Sauce: In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the shallots and chile over low heat for 8 minutes until caramelized, then scrape into a food processor. Add the olives, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of oil; puree a good 3 minutes until totally smooth.
• To put the whole thing together: put the shredded chicken and couscous on the lavosh bread, add a few spoonfuls of the olive sauce, and roll the sandwich up. Wrap in foil and take the sandwich to a picnic, if desired.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the meat from the chicken and discard the skin. Chop the meat into large chunks. Cut the chicken carcass into 2 or 3 pieces and put in a large pot with the chicken broth, leek greens, chunked celery, carrot peels, garlic, cilantro stems and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 6 cups water to cover, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the carcass is falling apart and the broth is flavorful, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain the broth, discarding any solids, and reserve.
• Wipe the pot clean and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, celery, carrots, zucchini and yellow squash. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the leeks begin to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the harissa, ras el hanout and tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables, cooking until the spices darken. Add the broth and chickpeas, cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped chicken, cilantro leaves and the spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt on top.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the chicken, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the sweet potato, zucchini, tomato puree, water, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the couscous to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pot from the heat. Let the soup stand, covered, for 2 minutes; add the parsley and serve.

MOROCCAN APRICOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add almonds; cook and stir until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. In the same skillet, brown chicken on both sides. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir chili sauce, preserves, apricots, Moroccan seasoning, vanilla and garlic powder into drippings. Pour over chicken., Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°-175°, 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Stir in garbanzo beans and orange juice. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 15-30 minutes longer. Serve with almonds. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

MOROCCAN INSPIRED APRICOT-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Set chicken aside, then stir in onion and garlic; cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in apricots and season with ginger, cumin, and allspice. Cook for 1 minute until spices are fragrant.
• Pour beer into pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the browned bits. Add chicken, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently until the chicken begins to fall away from the bone, about 30 minutes.