North African Style Stewed Chicken Recipes

AFRICAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, and brown quickly. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium low, and add garlic, onion and potato to the pan; saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with cumin, coriander, black pepper, red pepper and salt. Do not let garlic brown.
• Mix in water and browned chicken, and any accumulated juices. Place lid on skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove lid, and stir in the peanut butter and garbanzo beans. Make sure the peanut butter is blended in. Replace lid to simmer for 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning, and serve.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND SPINACH STEW

Steps:

• PLACE the chicken in a large pot and cover it with water. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and bay leaves and season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• REMOVE the chicken to a deep dish or bowl and let it drain. Strain the stock into a large bowl or pan and set aside. Transfer the vegetables from the strainer to a blender (remove the bay leaves), add the garlic, and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.
• TO make the spinach stew, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. When it's bubbling slightly, add the vegetable puree. Warm it through, about 2 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and the cinnamon stick, then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved stock and bring to a simmer. Cook to let the flavors develop, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and keep warm (remove the cinnamon stick before serving).
• MEANWHILE, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, pat it completely dry and break it down into 8 pieces: 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 breasts, then split the breasts in half. Place the chicken pieces in a large dish. Combine the granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika, cayenne, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Completely coat the chicken in this dry rub.
• MELT the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear until charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• SERVE the chicken with rice and a generous ladle of spinach stew. Squeeze lemon over the plate if desired.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, combine onion and oil. Place chicken thighs on top of onion; sprinkle with next 7 ingredients. Top with raisins, olives, lemon and garlic. Add broth. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 4-5 hours. Serve with hot cooked rice.

WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, cook chicken over medium heat in 2 teaspoons oil for 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink; remove and set aside., In the same pan, saute onion in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the peas, tomatoes, sweet potato, broth, peanut butter, 1-1/4 teaspoons thyme and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add chicken; heat through., Serve with rice if desired. Sprinkle with remaining thyme.

EBONY'S STEWED CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken into 8 pieces with the back bones (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings). You also can buy the chicken already cut up. Place in a large, heavy cooking pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, salt, flavor enhancer, garlic salt, paprika and enough cold water to just cover the meat (about 4 cups).
• Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam from the surface, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is almost completely tender, about 45 minutes.
• When the chicken is almost done, make the dumplings: Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the milk and stir to form a thick, smooth batter.
• Uncover the pot and drop heaping teaspoons of the dumpling batter on top of the chicken, spacing apart slightly. Sprinkle with the parsley and cover the pot. Cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid. If you cut into a dumpling, the dough should be cooked through to the center. Serve the chicken and dumplings on a platter or in serving dishes, garnished with more parsley.

NORTH AFRICAN-STYLE STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Rub chicken parts lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot. Add chicken pieces and cook over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pieces to a plate.
• Add remaining olive oil, onion and cinnamon to cooking pot. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, then add paprika, cumin, ginger, garlic and coriander. Sauté 5 minutes. Add mustard greens and preserved lemon and cook until greens wilt, about 6 minutes.
• Pour in 1 cup stock. Return chicken to pot and add cardamom pods, ras el hanout (or Indian curry powder) and saffron. Pour in more stock until chicken is mostly covered, up to 1 cup. Add a pinch of salt to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to preheated oven and cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until liquid has reduced and meat is falling off the bones. Let rest 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and cardamom pods before serving over rice.

NORTH AFRICAN STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small dish combine the spices. Place the chicken in a resealable container, add spice mixture, close container and shake to coat.
• In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and allow to brown briefly. Slowly stir in the orange juice and vinegar. Cook and stir for about 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is warmed through and flavors have blended.
• Serve over couscous or rice.