couscous

Today it snowed almost all day long, so it was a perfect day to prepare a dish which simmers away in the oven, filling your kitchen with the scent of cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger!

I’m not proud to say I actually received my beautiful tagine as a gift LAST Christmas. (I’ve told you I’m a procrastinator..) There’s no excuse for waiting so long to ‘try it out’. It’s not as if I don’t see the tangine every day, sitting and waiting patiently on the lower shelf of the buffet in my kitchen…

Moroccan Chicken Tagine can be be cooked several different ways; 1. In a tangine – cooked in the oven. 2. In a tangine, cooked on very low heat on top of the stove. 3. In a covered casserole – cooked in the oven. 4. In a large saucepan or Dutch Oven – either in the oven (if pan has heatproof handles) or on top of the stove.

Whichever way you chose to cook Moroccan Chicken Tagine, you’re in for a treat. And, except for frying up the onions and garlic in a skillet, you have a one pot meal with no mess in the kitchen. If you’re lucky enough to have a tagine, you can proudly present your Moroccan meal served right from your tagine.

++ Tagines, according to my research, range in size from 8″ to 16″. Actually, mine is only 7″ across at the base but it’s deep, so I was able to able to put in 8 boneless & skinless chicken thighs, plus 2 large cut-up sweet potatoes.

++ Be sure to learn how to use your tagine if you’ve never cooked with one before! (The terracotta ones need special care.) ++ Here’s a link to a great website which we could call “All You Ever Wanted to Know About Tangines” ! http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/moroccanfood101/f/How-to-Use-Tagine.htm

Love Moroccan? Here’s another recipe – plus Couscous with Raisins and Sliced Almonds

‘Never Fail’ Armenian Rice Pilaf

++ Start tagine in a cold oven

++ Place oven rack at 2nd lowest level.

INGREDIENTS Oven at 325 (F) Cook for 2 hours. If cooking on top of stove in a saucepan or Dutch Oven, be sure to just ‘simmer’ the tangine.

6 – 8 boneless/skinless chicken THIGHS
2 – 3 medium sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into eighths. ++ My tangine is small, so I only used 2 medium sweet potatoes. They turned out soo yummy cooked this way that I plan to try to cram more in next time!!
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced ++ About 2 cups
4 large cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped ++ Warm garlic cloves in microwave for 10 – 15 seconds, which helps remove papery covering on garlic cloves.
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground coriander ++ I used 1 tsp. minced fresh cilantro, which are the leaves of the same plant. In fact, coriander comes from the seeds.
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped dates (You can purchase chopped dates – BIG time saver!)
1 cup HOT chicken broth ++ Can also use 1 CUP HOT water and one bouillon cube.

METHOD

Arrange boneless/skinless chicken thighs in one layer on bottom of tagine. ++ I folded the loose bits under, which looks a bit nicer and helps the chicken cook evenly.

Put the following spices in a small dish or glass and set aside; 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 ground turmeric, 1 tsp. ground coriander (or 1 tsp. minced fresh cilantro), 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/4 tsp. cardamom, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper.

Pour 2 Tbs. olive oil into a large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook over medium heat until onions begin to brown a bit – between 5 to 6 minutes.

Add minced garlic. Cook two to three minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Add the spices you’d set aside. Stir to combine with the onions and garlic. Cook one more minute, stirring.

Spread contents of skillet over chicken.

Make one layer of the peeled and cut-up sweet potatoes. Sprinkle 1/4 chopped dates over potatoes. Pour 1 cup HOT broth over all.

Cover on tagine. Lower oven rack to second lowest level. Place covered tagine in COLD oven. Set temperature to 325F.

Cook for two hours. ++ Chicken and sweet potatoes will be cooked after 1 1/2 hours but the extra 1/2 hour of cooking time REALLY makes the chicken thighs tender. Enjoy !!

When my husband & I lived in Malta we had a dear Libyan friend who had a Moroccan housekeeper who was a fabulous cook. This recipe for Moroccan Chicken & Couscous with Raisins and Slivered Almonds tastes very, very much like the chicken and couscous my friend’s housekeeper used to prepare, although she used to add some turnip and, at times, green beans. (She also used a couscousiere – which I’ll talk about another time….)

This dish is easy and quick to prepare, and the flavors are subtle and delicious. You may be surprised by how tender the chicken thighs become in 30 minutes! The chicken and veggies can be made a day ahead and gently warmed while you prepare the couscous with raisins and slivered almonds right before serving.

Feel free add whatever type of vegetables you wish – just make sure the pieces are small enough to cook in about 30 minutes. (Next time I make this, I’m going to add some – fully cooked – chickpeas.)

++ I love reading your comments/suggestions etc. To comment, scroll down past the recipe.

Ingredients Serves between 4 – 5 Cooks on top of the stove

8 chicken THIGHS – skin removed – seasoned with salt & pepper
olive oil
1 large onion, cut into chunks
4 – 6 large carrots, cut into 1/2′ slices – OR – 1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut lengthwise (If you decide to add other vegetables, reduce the amount of carrots.)
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chicken broth – OR – 1 cup water and 1 Knorr bouillon cube. (If using another type of bouillon cube, use two cubes !!)
juice of 1 lemon – or – 3 Tbs. bottled lemon juice (You can also cut the lemon into wedges and add it like that. I have NOT…. I’m afraid of the bitterness of the lemon peel….)

Ingredients for the Couscous

Use any brand of couscous you wish – just prepare enough for about 5 servings. (I used one box of Near East – Original Plain, which makes 5 servings, and just followed the directions.)
Instead of water, use the same amount of chicken broth. (I used College Inn Chicken Broth.)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 Tbs. butter

Directions for Preparing the Chicken Thighs

Add about 2 Tbs. olive oil to a large saucepan which has a lid – or Dutch Oven. Lightly brown 4 chicken thighs over medium heat. Repeat with the last 4 chicken thighs, adding a bit more olive oil if necessary. Set chicken thighs aside. ++ Don’t brown the chicken too much – you don’t want to toughen it. ++ Don’t worry if some bits of chicken stick to the bottom – those ‘bit’s will just add flavor to the dish.

Add 1 onion, cut in to chunks, and cook for 3 minutes.

Add carrots – cook for 2 more minutes.

Add 2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. turmeric and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Pour in chicken broth – OR – hot water and bouillon cube.

Add the lemon juice – OR – 1 lemon cut into wedges.

Place the 8 chicken thighs into the pot.