Definitely a keeper! So, about those preserved lemons: This isnt the first Moroccan dish Ive made, but Ive always been on the fence about the inclusion of preserved lemons. I would like to triple the recipe next time and wondered if after browning the chicken, could I put it in the oven to cook? I made this over the weekend and it was wonderful: tasty, nutritious, and plentiful enough to feed myself, my roommate and a friend plus a couple of lunches made from left overs. What a wonderful dish this turned out to be! So good, thank you for this! I would absolutely use harissa here, or serve it with. I love the colours in this dish. I have been obsessed with Moroccan food for many years and Paula Wolferts cookbooks are the best. Thanks! The garnishes MAKE the recipe I think, and toasting the slivered almonds seems to be key too! I made some Moroccan couscous just last week, but this recipe sounds even better than the one I used. Ive only ever used cinnamon in sweet things so Im not sure what to pair it with for savoury paprika? Key ingredients: Coconut oil Coconut milk Red curry paste Roasted cashews Turmeric Neighborfood Blog Balsamic chicken and vegetables This one is not the prettiest thing to look at, but we promise. I tried, for an African themed family movie night a while ago (The Lion King) a Morrocan chickpea stew & a Chicken-Tomato-Sweet potato thing that was incredible. :-). Thank you so much for the recipe! Add broth and tomatoes, then return chicken to the pan. Delicious! A bit bland really, but i didnt use olives as I hate them. Hello, could this soup, do you think, be successful without tomatoes, which I cant eat. I just made this. Keep these coming this is a 5 star dish. And guess what! This looks great, just the kind of recipe Im looking for in my New Years weight-loss quest. I love how healthy this looks and cant wait to try it! Would I follow the same instructions? Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with . However, we both thought it gave the stew a nice lemon undertone without being overpowering. Rate the recipe: 5 stars means you loved it, 1 star means you really disliked it. It is the perfect food for this weather! Used boneless thighs and served over couscous. i love that its both fresh AND hearty a delicious contradiction! I want to incorporate more vegetarian dishes into my diet this winter, so Ill definitely be trying out this one. Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel.. I also dont have a couscousier, yet astoundingly, I was able to pull off this squash and chickpea stew for dinner on Sunday, and it was delicious. its tiny and I am really glad that he and you both emphasize its possible to turn out delish and photo-op-worthy meals without going into debt for the tools. http://www.antoniotahhan.com/2008/08/13/dont-make-lemonade/. Its a great soup enjoyed by a 5 year old, 8 year old and parents too on the first Fall feeling day! I love this. I am amazed how the onions almost disappear depending on how I chop them, but the carrots are always a hit although the cook times vary depending on thickness of carrots. Stir in garbanzo beans and orange juice. At the very end, I added a dash of my favorite curry powder and a little more cumin to my tastes. Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. They showed us an important, but often not mentioned step in cooking with preserved lemons: you dont put the peel in with the food. I used less stock as I wanted a thicker stew/tagine went with about 1 cup instead of two, half of which was white wine. Its a company-worthy dish yet easy enough to throw together on a not-too-busy weeknight. I tried this tonight, and it was delicious! She was very generous and gave me a preserved lemon she had made herself from a recipe her mother in law in Morocco taught her. I just loved this today for lunch even more than I loved it for dinner. 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped I happened to have all the ingredients on hand I subbed a sweet potato for the red potato. Made this stew for my family visiting for the holidays. I actually discussed it with my husband last night about how excited I was to have access to such an array of unusual ingredients within walking distance from our house and expressed a wish to make something with them. Anyway, your blog is still interesting enough to keep me reading even when I spy something I know I probably couldnt enjoy fully. Ill stick to the Americanized chicken versions :-). Pour over chicken. This was amazing! I can count at least six things in this recipe that I shun regularly, but my gosh the PICTURES just make it look so tasty!! Preserved lemons to me are one of those ingredients like fish sauce which are hideous on their own but become delicious as part of a dish. Pulse until well combined. Ive been thinking along the lines of a a lemon tart or even lemonade but this would work equally well. Because Im sure you were losing sleep over this. Id love to try it when making cakes, pies, tarts, etc. Im sure itll be even better next time, with more of the flavours present. I cant wait to try this! roast chicken with dijon sauce. So good. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes Ingredients: 1 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into medium-large chunks Salt Black pepper 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, divided use 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided use 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1 teaspoon granulated garlic Also skipped olives. I used the preserved lemons, but only about 3/4 of the amount recommended. 3/4 pound red potatoes, large dice Our guests said it incredible! I still need to get my husband (who does the vast majority of the cooking in our household) to learn to do some of this stuff. We loved making this, so simple and so flavorful and have most of the ingredients on hand so am adding to our regular rotation. If you cant find them, any green olive will work. This is one on my best dishes, it always impresses my family as well as guests. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water if the pan gets too dark). Roasted yams and chickpeas with yogurt: I make this easy-ass yam recipe once a week for lunch. Zest the lemon. Thanks! I think that might be my next culinary Big Project. Seems like it would freeze. I used leftover parsnips instead of carrots and forgot to put in the cilantro. I look forward to trying this as intended, as Im sure it will be even yummier fresh :), 1. I didnt use lemons, but I did add golden raisins, which I thought went with the flavor of the dish really well. I chopped the lemon REALLY small, so we didnt get big bites of rind. Cauliflower Gratin. This was a fantastic dish! Reason to follow a recipe and not go on a crazy, custom tangent #211: adding more red potatoes than the recipe calls for soaks up the amazing juices and turns a stew into a glorp. Looks delicious and healthy. LOVED the olives and preserved lemons (which I also minced suuuuuper small and didnt notice any bitter rind at all). After slicing the lemons, she mixes them with sugar to mitigate the acidity and offset the bitterness of the fruit. I never would have thought it would be that way :-). Ingredients Save Recipe 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 pound fresh curly spinach, rinsed Kosher salt 1 ( 15 - ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/2-inch slice from a country loaf, cut into cubes 1/4 cup tomato sauce 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin Pinch red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick Thank goodness most of them are smart and sassy like you. You are a fabulous chef! Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Thanks so much Jenn for the great recipe! We grew up eating stuff like this all the time. 2. As per usual, I waited until the last minute to go grocery shopping for the ingredients, so I was unable to find brined green olives or preserved lemons at the last minute, but I substituted regular canned green olives and capers (per one of these comments suggestions). Thanks for leaving a comment. Cook time took much longer for squash and potatoes to soften. I cant wait to read your article in Februarys Living! Not to mention the huge vats of nuts and things for great prices! Love it! Excellent! Adapted from Aida Mollencamp. Subbed sweet potatoes for white potatoes. Yup healthy, gorgeous and packed with flavour instead of just calories works for me. I just made this last night. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator (to protect against leakage), and let the chicken marinate for 5-6 hours. I think theyll love all the ingredients, but olives are the one food none of us can stand. Do you use canned chickpeas? We were taught to scrape the salty pulp off the softened rind and chop that up for use in the tajine. I think the blandness of the main ingredients overpowered the flavorings. You must must must check out Garrett McCords The Traveling Tajine Project on http://vanillagarlic.blogspot.com/ and you can have a lovely tangine for a few days to try out another Moroccan recipe in!! You might want to check out the comment guidelines before chiming in. Thanks for posting this! Seems like it would work perfectly! Added extra olives (green and kalamata) which added a nice brininess. I love Moroccan food and all the tasty spices! And it doesnt seem to do anything that a Dutch oven cant do better. Agreed, waaaaaay more cooking time needed. So simple and youll feel better about yourself for days after. This is one of the recipes that I come back to time and time again. Substituted cornichons, lemon juice and capers for the preserved lemon (I actually like it, but didnt have any) and it turned out pretty well. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This dish was delicious but next time I will use half the amount of honey as it was a little sweet for my taste, Had friends to supper and everyone was delighted. 8. I totally dont have a fancy tangine either, but mine always come out great in my little dutch oven. The result is the most tender chicken you've ever tasted with just the right amount of citrus-garlic flavor in every bite. I would like it spicier, so I think I am going to double the cumin and add some hot pepper flakes at the beginning. You know, that thing is so versatile! Listen to Deb. Thanks for all your lovely recipes! I love it but I always feel sounderprepared? Now, Im cooking for my family and sharing all my tested & perfected recipes with you here! And as much as it pains me to say that I do not like a particular piece of cookware especially one that is coated in lovely kiwi green enamel I dont really like it. I also love my tagine for slow cooking dishes or as a decoration! (Image credit: Smitten Kitchen) 3. We would make this again. David Lebovitz has a recipe for Morrocan Preserved Lemons on his site. This tagine is delicious! Excellent. After 20 minutes, spoon another tablespoon of the melted butter over the chicken and cabbage. Would be a tasty & easy dish to serve guests. Start by simmering vegetable oil, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt until it's smooth and glossy. I added cubed, seared chicken to the mix and let it braise (for my Alex who says he likes vegetarian meals but always asks where the meat is when I make one) it was a nice addition. Thank you! Served over quinoa with parsley (no almonds) and the flavor is wonderful. Ive been trying to figure out how to make this ever since I studied in Paris. 188 Grand street. I am not the best poultry/meat cooker more of a veggie person and baker. :). Set the timer for 1 hour for a 4-pound chicken. Delicious, easy to make. Keep reading. It made a lot, so after 2 meals, I still had leftovers. We topped with plain yogurt and Harrisa. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes. If one were allergic to cumin, what would an alternative spice be? This post may contain affiliate links. I might try this substituting chicken for the potatoes, not as much to decrease carbs/increase protein as because Im not a big fan of potatoes like this. Required fields are marked *. Thanks! Do you think you can sub something else for the chickpeas? I love both couscous and tagines and living in France we have it on all sides. 22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook! Highly recommend! YOU WERENT BORN IN 1968?!! Im still acquiring a taste for them, though. Recipes. I also saw this Ask Aida episode and immediately looked up the recipe. You have a great way of making me interested in your recipes and Id love to see you work with quinoa. The thighs provide a good amount of meat and remain tender even if slightly overcooked, and the bones and skin add depth of flavor and richness to the sauce (though the skin is removed midway through cooking). I loved the flavor combination. Upped all the spices and added bay leaves; was stellar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Such fresh and wonderful flavors- thank you so muchl. Thanks for reminding & a new recipe! I may be old, but I like to cook and try new recipes (this is a new recipe for me). All in all, a wonderful recipe. I have been making of alot of cold weather meals lately! This sounds fabulous! Thanks for the fabulous idea. Maybe cornstarch? This was really good! Sprinkled a TINY bit of cinnamon in to finish. Moroccan food is wonderful, thanks for another recipe! I love how couscous can become something very different, depending on the type of sauce and ingredients you add to it. I made a similar soup a couple of years ago, based on a recipe from a Wegmans circular my grandmother sent me (I cant believe I still remember that), but it was missing something. I mean, I like salt. I followed the full recipe, not adding or taking out, perfect recipe, very easy to follow, not time consuming, we love spices and cilantro in chicken/meats dishes. Balsamic Glazed Sweet. Delish!! Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Oh wow just wonderful! I like the white pumpkin because its not quite as sweet as some other winter squashes. I did not find any squash in my local store at the time of year I wanted to make the dish, and so I substituted pumpkin puree (it was the closest thing available). This looks and sounds just like the kind of food I wish I liked. Scones/Biscuits 24. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It looks gorgeous from the pictures; just wondering how integral the tomatoes are. Thanks for a healthy recipe that looks easy and delicious! I substituted cauliflower for the potatoes. Yet they were wonderfully fragrant in the dish and if youre looking to try out something new, or if youre already smitten with them, go for it. Thanks for another versatile recipe. Added 1/2 teaspoon Berbere for a little heat, and added lemon zest to stew and a squeeze of lemon to our plates. Its company-worthy yet easy to throw together. I tried this tonight minus the lemon. Served family style, the food was unpretentious, light and so healthy, I made a mental bookmark to try my hand at it when I got home. 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced slow-and-low dry rub oven chicken. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Looks really delicious! Hello! Grind some pepper all over the chicken. Even so it was ablsolutely delightful. Served over brown rice. AHHH, so delicious and nutritious. Love the flavor layering and the vegetables make it a healthy food. On the off chance that you, or any other readers werent aware hope that helps make the lemons a bit more palateable! It was my immense pleasure to oblige them! Which, being me, I promptly forgot about. This recipe looks fabulous and Im dying to try it but whats up with the steamed couscous? Imagine my delight when I found this recipe on her favorite cooking blog! Squash can get a bit soft, but the flavor should be good. Stop by! Served with a spicy Malbec. And I used kalmata olives instead. Our first night in Paris in October, we had dinner at a great, inexpensive Moroccan restaurant in the 3me called Chez Omar. Kalamata? Love the way the couscous soaks up the flavorful sauce. Just skip. 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices Ive made this delicious recipe before and loved it. I used boneless skinless thighs and garlic infused olive oil instead of fresh garlic and added more carrots (double at least). The lemons, olives, almonds, and cilantro were the perfect garnishes. For example I added some in the water I used to make the couscous. Add marinade to the bag, press air out and seal shut. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. What do you think would be the best (and maybe easiest) way to add some protein to this dish? I am unfortunately allergic to cumin (and coriander/cilantro). One question do you think it would work to substitute a couple of fresh tomatoes for the diced canned ones? Oh delicious! Thank you once again, Jenn, for making me look like an expert cook! Has anyone tried this in the Instant Pot? It gave the dish some depth. Ive recently fallen in love with quinoa! Have made this for friends & family 3 times now keeps getting better and better! Kudos! Thank you so much. Happy Holidays to you and your family! Random question if I already have a dutch oven, would you recommend getting a tajine? Her first book, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, was a New York Times bestseller. Theyre SUPER cheap. This time, I took the plunge (found them at Garden of Eden, for you New Yorkers, gourmet/specialty shops for everyone else or you can try Elises homemade recipe) and well: I think theyre an acquired taste that I havent acquired yet, but hope to. And exactly what Im looking for this time of the yearHEALTHY! I ran out of carrot so I subbed in dried figs and fresh cranberries! Excellent recipe that I tested on a true fan of Morocco and he said it tasted like what he ate while he was there! I will change the spice deck from time to time to get more flavor on one spice or another. I hadnt even considered substitutions. Ive served this to company twice now and everyone loved it. But you can substitute capers for preserved lemons in many dishes. maybe 1/2 and let it sit while I made the rest of the recipe. Stefani McRae-Dickey on February 6, 2023. 10/10 will make again :)). What jogged my memory was a version of a Moroccan vegetable stew on Ask Aida on the Food Network last week. Whole Citrus-Braised Chicken in the Slow Cooker Rub the chicken with seasoning, add some lemon or orange juice and chicken broth, and set the timer. Soif we cant find or preserve our own lemons fast enough, should we use a regular one? Whisk half of the slurry into the pan and simmer along with the carrots. Ill definitely be making this dish again! Will make this again! Cant wait to try this dish. Yasmina Thank you so much for the note! This needed some more ooomph for me. Love it! Mmmmm, wow this is really a great recipe! I laughed when I read, well: I think theyre an acquired taste that I havent acquired yet. When I lived in Egypt, these were served like pickles on the side of meals sometimes, and well in a year I never got around to acquiring the taste, although I bet they taste better as part of dish. We that this for dinner last night- very yummy!! This is quickly reminding me that I have yet to do a stew like this yet this cold winter. Scatter the carrots around the chicken, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more. This is fabulous Jenn!! Deb Perelman is a self-taught home cook and photographer and the creator of SmittenKitchen.com. <3. I dont like olives, so I subbed in marinated artichoke hearts. What a wonderful stew, its got a little bit of everything in it. Fresh zest seems like it would be better. Add the browned chicken back to the pot and cover until the chicken is cooked through. We had it with brown rice and peas. Could this be one of those occasions, maybe? Used Italian parsley instead of the cilantro (my wife doesnt like it) and added a few blobs of natural yoghurt to garnish/finish it. Forget Garden of Eden stop by a middle eastern store, local Brooklyners or New Yorkers try A&D Turkish halal meat market they sell the for $2.99 for a small and $3.99 for a large bottle! I believe this is great. I just love any recipe with chick peas. We had gone there first and they told us they no longer had them, blah blah so we went to another store. Thanks! I am looking forward to left overs, and the next time I make this. I made this with skinless chicken thighs and doubled the carrots. Surrounded by chicklettes!! It is such a great cold weather meal. Made this for dinner last night. Alas, I did not plan far enough ahead to steam it for this dish. I cant wait to try this! Then add the chickpeas and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Sometimes, I pull the meat off the bone before serving makes it easier and more appealing for the kids to eat but serving the chicken on the bone is traditional. This recipe looks great! Made this recipe for a group (meat-eaters and veggies) and everyone loved it! This is exactly the kind of thing I am craving this time of year. It is made with chopped preserved lemons, spices, I think also oil, and Im not sure what else. Go to Recipe Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts Save all recipes 15 Made this for dinner tonight. Off topic but Id love a SmittenKitchen version of the Mark Bitman NYT article re: pantry essentials. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. Prepared exactly as written, veganized, minus the preserved lemons (which I always forget to look for!). Steamed couscous, for serving (directions here and elsewhere on the web) I just made this and it was so amazing. Salt and freshly ground black pepper http://www.izzyeats.com/2007/07/chez-omar-first-dinner-out-and-about.html. The saffron however, provided a much needed flavor boost. , Jen, I made this a few days ago and it was so delicious. Three: Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, harissa, water and stock cube and stir well. Instead of preserved lemons, I added vegetable peeler-generated strips of lemon peel at the beginning. Butternut Squash Galette This galette with roasted squash, caramelized onions, cheese, and sage, all in the flakiest yogurt-enriched crust is a pleasant surprise on a weeknight (or as a stepped-up appetizer for a holiday meal). A couple nights ago I made a very similar stew (Morrocan Vegetarian Chili from the Williams Sonoma website). Top with apricots and raisins. Excellent recipe and will make many times this snow-decked season! Seriously, I use it a couple times of month for so many things. Also served it with basmati rice, simply delicious! i used crushed tomatoes and they were more like a puree so my stew was (of course) uglier than debs. You can find them in your supermarkets olive bar, or substitute any green olive that you like. nor do I have one I picked up for $2.95 at the central souk in Marrakesh in 1968. Any exposed chicken adds a ton of moisture to the cutlets, which will prevent you from achieving that signature, golden-brown, crusty exterior. I made it last night and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. Sprinkle the orange zest, sliced fennel, onion and carrots around the chicken on the pan. I also made the lemon squares for a New Years party and they were (of course) a hit. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. My wife doesnt love dark meat, do you think I can get away with bone-in skin on chicken breast for next time? Trying to carry one of those pots across Europe in a backpack would be treacherous. Close ad . Thanks for the idea! Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Once I found this recipe, I decided to combine the two. Thank you for a great no meat meal that my meat eating family loved. now that you have a jar, what else are you going to try them with? It was great! I made so many changes that its hard to comment, but I used pumpkin, lentils instead of cous cous, and skipped the potatoes, lemon and olives. I usually just take kitchen shears and quickly snip off any excess skin or fat. Did it take a long time to cook the thighs? This dish looks interesting- I have no experience with Moroccan cuisine of any sort. Prepare the marinade. Amazing! What was your secret? I put it in the fridge while guests arrived and mingled and 30 minutes before serving I brought it to a simmer, added the lemon and garlic zest, cilantro and olives and the cooked on low heat for another 10 minutes. I have made this three times already! Serve the chicken on a platter or individual plates over a bed of couscous. Enjoy! This is perfect! I also cooked the chicken at the browning stage three times as long as directed. Ive done a few variations on this dish and simply used regular lemons, adding a few pieces of rind into the cooking to give it a nice little hint of lemon-y goodness. Thanks Fairy Godmother Deb for a delicious sounding recipe! Hi Jane, If you want to use cornstarch, youll want to wait until the point at which you add the carrots and then make a slurry by combining 2T cornstarch with 2T cold water; mix until completely smooth. If you have a Trader Joes around, you can find it there for less than most other places. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Added some raisins. Your email address will not be published. Any thoughts for a sub? I must know! I avoided dishes made with saffron for a long time, because I couldnt find it for a decent price. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Thanks for the constant inspiration. For the chicken: Extra virgin olive oil Red wine vinegar Tomato paste Garlic Ras el Hanout - This is a popular North African spice blend that lends the Moroccan flavor to this dish without needing a long list of spices on hand. MM I just made this tonight for dinner while looking for recipes with squash as an ingredient (I ended up buying lots of squash at the farmers market to have some culinary adventures they are locally gronw for fall ~ yet I never used squash!!). How I love squash! One of the things that I learned from North African friends was to either mince the onion very small, or to grate by hand (not by food processor-that results in very watery onions that steam, rather than saute in t he oil). I highly recommend adding cilantro, sliced almonds, and a bit of cinnamon to your couscous. I just cooked it up, and its fantastic! 1 tablespoon unsalted butter From there, I followed it per the directions. You are a very talented photographer! Add the chicken (with any accumulated juices) back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. I love stews with chickpeas, very satisfying. It looks really healthy- with all the different colors, but I think dicing that butternut squash is just too much work! I have heard that with saffron the best thing to do to get all the flavor is to grind the threads in a mortar and then put them in a little bit of water. Tender & flavorful. Any ideas on how to make this recipe for a family of olive-haters? My name is Yasmina and Im the daughter of the owner of the restaurant you based your recipe on: Chez Omar. So warm and inviting. In reference to #13 and #30 interestingly, all the Moroccon recipes I have made have instructed me to use *only* the lemon peel and discard the pulp. Even my husband asked for seconds and it was so easy to make in one pot. I would also add more of the artichokes, sorrel, and seasoning. Take a few minutes to read through her blog post for her . Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170-175, 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Thank you again! So easy and people loved receiving a savory gift. Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and teaspoon pepper. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! sheet pan chicken tikka. We found the preserved lemons and used them but otherwise the recipes exactly as suggested. Plus 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook! Jen, Ive made this several times because we absolutely love it! So delicious that there wasnt a drop of sauce left after the meal. You know, I have one of those Le Creuset tagines someone gave it to me as a gift. Thanks! I also substituted the potatoes for eggplant and it turned out great! Or did youask someone at the store to help you get more brine?! and definitely plan to make it again! Also, it is supposed to be the authentic way to make it. Hmmm. Perfect for serving those with dietary restrictions it is vegan, lactose free, and gluten free (if you dont serve it on couscous).