12 July 2014

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons & Olives




This is one I cooked up while I was at home in Scotland last month for a Friday night dinner party, it was bright & fresh & perfect for Summer but at the same time it actually wouldn’t be out of place as warming & comforting dinner here in the midst of our Kiwi winter, in fact it would most definitely brighten up a winter’s evening, which is probably just as well given the wet, wild & windy weather we’ve been on the receiving end of.  Some days the rain is just interminable; an endless downpour.


Having had an amazing endless Summer here in New Zealand & then a second helping of long sunny summer days back in the mother country I am struggling  a little with these shorter, colder wilder & wetter days! Please Spring hurry up but in the mean time I can have some Moroccan chicken to warm my soul & transport to warmer climes, at least in my head anyway.

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons & Olives

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs & 4 chicken breasts
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped, deseeded if you like less heat
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
Pinch saffron strands
700ml water
Juice of one lemon
1 cup green olives
1 preserved lemons, flesh removed & finely chopped
Bunch coriander, chopped
Bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper


Directions

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish or tagine & brown the chicken in batches until golden brown all over & set aside. Don’t overcrowd the chicken as then it will steam & rather than go wonderfully tasty & golden. 

Add the onion & garlic to the frying pan & sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Add the chilli, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric & saffron. Sauté for a couple of minutes & then return the chicken to the casserole dish & stir it around to coat the chicken in the onion mixture. 


Pour in 700ml water, cover & bring to the boil. Reduce the heat & leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Lift the chicken onto a plate & cover with foil to keep it warm.

Add the lemon juice to the sauce & increase the heat. Simmer until the sauce is thickened & return the chicken to the casserole. Add the olives & preserved lemon, cover & simmer for 20 minutes more.  Life the chicken out & place it on a platter.  Stir the coriander & parsley in to the sauce & spoon it over the chicken & serve.



If you like this you might like this Roast Chicken with Hazelnuts, Honey & Saffron
Four years ago Supper Club #2


Enjoy!

8 comments:

  1. Like a ray of sunshine - just the dish for a gloomy winter's day!

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    1. Thanks Rachel…we certainly need that it has been sooo chilly!

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  2. Looks the perfect way to ward off those post winter sun blues. I know exactly how you feel although I fear your weather this last weekend was a lot worse than here. Sorry about that!

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    Replies
    1. I know! Yearning for summer even though I have missed most of winter!!

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  3. I have a fantastic recipe to prepare for dinner tomorrow :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Irvins, I do hope you enjoy as much as I did. I'm off to make it again for Sunday dinner :)

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  4. Definitely a dish to warm the heart, and make one think of sunnier days. Like you, I'm longing for winter to be over, but at least we're pretty much at the "fag-end" of it now. Actually I always feel better once we get past the shortest day.

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    Replies
    1. Me too! Once we get over hump day I feel so much better, just a few more moments of daylight each day makes all the difference. And now we're in August we can count down to spring….it's now only days away & we have survived another winter!!! ;)

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