Servings 4-6 | Prep Time 2 hours 30 min | Total Time 4 hours
Fall-off-the-bone tender chicken braised in traditional Moroccan flavors – warm Ras el Hanout, sweet and zingy lemon and dried apricots, and salty olives. This aromatic dish is perfect for cooler autumn or winter nights to warm your kitchen.
Ingredients
Ral el Hanout
HOW TO
- Pat the chicken dry using paper towels and massage Ras el Hanout evenly on each piece, making sure to get under the skin for best flavor. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2-8 hours. Let come to room temperature just before cooking.
- Place a deep cast-iron pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add a couple glugs of olive oil to the pan and heat until shimmering.
- Place chicken skin side down and brown for 5-8 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes. (Brown bits on the bottom on the pan mean flavor, but keep watch that these don’t burn! If they start to turn dark, add a bit more oil or a splash of chicken broth).
- Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Lower to medium heat and add the onions, garlic, and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Deglaze with the chicken broth, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to lift the brown bits. Add the chicken, lemon slices, olives, and apricots.
- Bring the chicken broth to a small bubble, then turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Just before serving, garnish with more chopped cilantro and the almonds.
Serve Ras el Hanout Chicken with preserved lemons. They have a tangy, umami, not-quite-sweet, fruity bite that satisfies two essential elements of cooking at once: salt and acid. Both the preserved lemon peel and flesh are edible.
