Chicken Tagine

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 ½ lb)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 inch)
• 1 cup chicken broth (for homemade broth, see page 528 )
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup pitted dried plums, cut into bite-size pieces
• ½ cup pitted green olives
• 1 small lemon, cut into quarters

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces skin-side down into the hot oil, then add the sliced onion and chopped garlic.
2. 2Cook uncovered for 6 to 10 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally until it is browned on all sides.
3. 3Lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and salt evenly over the meat. Drop in the cinnamon stick, then pour the chicken broth and undrained diced tomatoes into the pot.
4. 4Turn the chicken pieces a few times to coat them in the spices and liquid. Scatter the dried plums, green olives, and lemon quarters into the pot, pressing them gently into the broth around the chicken, and reduce the heat to low.
5. 5Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. The chicken is ready when the juices run clear after piercing the thickest piece to the bone, reaching an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
6. 6Transfer the cooked chicken to a deep serving platter and cover it to keep warm. Turn the heat up to high and boil the remaining sauce uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens.
7. 7Pour the reduced sauce directly over the chicken. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro if you like, and serve warm alongside couscous.

Fast Categories