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Moroccan Chicken with Almonds and Raisins
Poulet aux amandes et raisins secs
by Joyce Goldstein/The New Mediterranean Jewish Table
Recipes copyright 2016 The Regents of the University of California
This recipe can be made with individual birds like poussins or Cornish hens, but I think thighs or other chicken pieces are easier to cook, serve, and eat. If you do opt to prepare whole birds, they will need to cook for about an hour. Serve this dish with couscous.
Ingredients
12 chicken thighs (or a few more if small), or 1 large chicken, 4 to 5 pounds, cut into serving pieces
1 lemon, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 cup olive oil, or as needed
4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon saffron threads steeped in
1⁄4 cup hot water
1 ½ cups water or chicken broth, or as needed
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted
1 cup honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub the chicken pieces with the cut sides of the lemon, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the coriander, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Rub half of the spice mixture over the chicken pieces.
Select a stew pot large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the oil, and warm over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining spice mixture and stir well. Reserve off the heat.
Warm the remaining 4 or 5 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high
heat. In batches, add the chicken pieces and brown well on all sides, adding more
oil if needed. As the chicken pieces are ready, add them to the onions. When all of
the chicken is in the pot, add the saffron infusion and enough water to come about
1 ½ inches up the sides of the pot. Bring to a simmer on the stove top, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, uncover, and add the raisins and almonds and a little more
water if the pot looks dry. Drizzle most of the honey over the chicken pieces to glaze
them and let the remainder fall onto the onions. Re-cover the pot, return to the oven,
and cook until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve.
Notes
Serves 6
Recipe: Kosher, poultry