Moroccan Roasted Pomegranate Chicken Recipes

MOROCCAN ROASTED POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove and discard giblets, and neck from chicken, and lift wing tips up over back and tuck under chicken.
• Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt over chicken, and place chicken, breast side up on rack of roasting pan coated with cooking spray.
• Place rack in pan, and bake 450 degrees for 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thighs reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove chicken, and rack from pan and let stand 10 minutes.
• Remove skin from dark meat, and discard.
• Remove seeds from pomegrante, set 1 tablespoon seeds aside.
• Place remaining seeds in a blender, pulse to crush.
• Strain mixture through a sieveover a bowl, to yield 1/4 cup juice, discard solids.
• Place roastin pan over medium heat, add wine to drippings in pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
• Pour mixture into medium saucepan, stir in pomegranate juice, sugar, cinnamon, pepper, and garlic, and bring to a boil.
• Cook 16 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup.
• Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice, and remaining salt.
• Serve sdauce with chicken, and sprinkle with remaining seeds.

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Stir pomegranate juice, brown sugar, vinegar, and garlic together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard garlic, then stir in lime juice and let cool 5 minutes. Set aside 6 tablespoons pomegranate syrup.
• Poke several holes in lime with a fork and insert into chicken cavity along with onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, pepper, and rosemary. Tie legs together with kitchen string, sprinkle skin with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then transfer chicken, breast side up, to a roasting pan.
• Roast chicken, basting with pomegranate syrup every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts of all pieces registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour total. Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve drizzled with reserved pomegranate syrup.

MOROCCAN ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. In a bowl, mix the butter with the cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, cayenne and cinnamon and season with salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry. Rub half of the spice butter under the skin and the rest over the chicken; season with salt and pepper.
• Set the chicken breast-side-up on a rack in a roasting pan. Scatter the onion, garlic cloves, dates and dried apricots and add 1/2 cup of water. Roast for 30 minutes, until the breast is firm and just beginning to brown in spots. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-down and roast for 20 minutes longer, until the skin is lightly browned.
• Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-side-up. Add another 1/2 cup of water. Roast for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 175° to 180°.
• Tilt the chicken to drain the cavity juices into the pan; transfer the bird to a cutting board. Remove the rack from the pan and spoon off the fat. Set the pan over high heat. Add the stock and cook, scraping up any browned bits. Carve the chicken and pass the chunky jus at the table.