I found this recipe in my favorite inspiration spot – one of
the Cooking Light cookbooks! Of course –
I adjusted it – but only slightly. This
recipe calls for cooking the chicken in a Tagine, which is a Moroccan terra-cotta
pot. However, since I don’t own a Tagine – I opted to use a large heavy
non-stick skillet that has a lid. Since
I’ve never had anything prepared in a Tagine – I can’t say for sure that this
was just as good. But, I can guarantee
you – this was DELICIOUS! The flavorful
combination of lemon, ginger, garlic and cinnamon is so fantastic and the aroma
that it produces while cooking is completely enticing. Give this one a try… I think you’ll be happy!
Ingredients:
Grated zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 – 14 boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ cup flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium white onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup green olives, rough chopped – with or without pimento
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Combine the juice and chicken in a large ziplock bag. Seal and marinate for 30 minutes in the
fridge. Remove chicken from bag and pat
dry. Discard the marinade.
Dredge the dried chicken in flour. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, turmeric and
cayenne. Heat ½ the oil in a large
nonstick skillet with high sides. Add
half the chicken and cook 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining
chicken.
Add a touch more olive oil if needed to the skillet. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Return the chicken to the pan. Add broth, olives, lemon zest and cinnamon
sticks to the pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 1 hour – or until
chicken is tender.
Remove and discard the
cinnamon sticks. Stir in the
cilantro. Serve with couscous, rice or
flatbread. I served with Zatarains Yellow Rice. Yum!
