Moroccan Chicken Stuffed With Couscous Raisins Almonds Recipes

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant (2-3 minutes).
• Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened (5-7 minutes). Use the spoon to break open the tomatoes and crush them.
• Add the chicken, sweet potato, golden raisins, water, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato is tender (25-35 minutes).
• Coarsely shred the chicken then stir in the lemon juice.
• Serve warm sprinkled with the almonds and cilantro.

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 WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the red onions and carrots; cook until the onions soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the ras el hanout, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to coat the vegetables. Add 3 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the carrots are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous as the label directs. Puree 1 3/4 cups cilantro, 2 tablespoons water and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a food processor. Fluff the couscous and stir in the cilantro paste. Cover to keep warm.
• Uncover the vegetables and stir in the chicken and raisins. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the raisins are plump, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Serve over the couscous; top with the almonds.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Toss first 3 ingredients with 1 tsp. dressing. Place on one half of foil-covered rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Place chicken on other half of prepared baking sheet; brush with remaining dressing. Bake 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F), adding nuts, apricots and raisins to the baking sheet for the last 5 min. Remove from oven.
• Heat oil in saucepan on medium heat. Add onions along with the anise and cinnamon sticks from baking sheet; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Stir in broth; bring to boil. Remove and discard anise and cinnamon sticks. Add couscous to onions in pan; mix well. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 5 min.
• Fluff couscous mixture. Add garlic, nuts and fruit from baking sheet; mix lightly. Serve with the chicken.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups water with cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, salt, raisins and butter; bring to a boil.
• Stir in couscous; remove from heat.
• Add pine nuts, then cover.
• Let stand 5 minutes.
• Using a fork, fluff couscous and place in a serving bowl.

SWEET AND NUTTY MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Pour the vegetable broth into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the butter, apricots, dates and raisins. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and toasted almonds, and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND WHOLE GRAIN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Prepare the couscous according to package directions.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook onion until tender. Mix in bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in the pot, and cook until well browned. Pour garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.
• Mix carrots and zucchini into pot. Season with salt. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Serve stew over cooked couscous.