Moroccan Chicken & Carrots with Meyer Lemon & Green Olives
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Moroccan
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • For Spice Rub
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground clove
  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • Remaining Ingredients
  • 15-30 ml (1-2 Tbsp) coconut or olive oil
  • 3-4 lbs assorted bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
  • 1 large red onion (about 12 oz), thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 Meyer lemons* (4-5 oz each), thinly sliced - aim for ⅛ inch or thinner
  • 210 grams (1 ½ cups) pitted green olives (halved if desired)
  • 65-70 grams unsulphured dried apricots or pitted dates, diced (½ cup)
  • 8 oz carrots (peeled if not organic), cut into ½ -inch chunks
  • 120 to 180 ml (½ to ¾ cup) salt-free chicken stock**
  • 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Procedure
  1. Combine all spices - paprika through cayenne - in a large bowl or heavy ziploc bag. Pat chicken pieces dry, and rub thoroughly with spice mixture. Let stand for at least one hour and up to overnight in the spice rub. (If only marinating for one hour you can leave the chicken at room temperature, otherwise refrigerate until ready to cook.)
  2. In a large heavy skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Place 3-4 chicken pieces skin side down in the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the skin begins to crisp and brown. Flip pieces over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. (If spices look or smell like they're burning, decrease heat to medium.) Remove to a bowl or plate and repeat with remaining chicken, adding the extra tablespoon of oil if necessary - you may not need it if the first batch of chicken renders out enough fat from the skin. Keep all browned chicken pieces together in a bowl or on a plate while you proceed with the next step.
  3. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the onions, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt to the pan (omit or reduce salt if your chicken stock isn’t salt-free). Sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant. Lay the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables - it’s okay if the pieces overlap now - cover the pan, and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the lemon slices, olives, apricots/dates and carrots, arranging everything around the chicken pieces. Add enough stock to cover the bottom of the pan by about ¼ inch and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  5. If you discover that the carrots aren’t cooked enough for your liking at this point, remove the chicken to a platter and tent with foil to keep it warm. Cover the pot and simmer the carrots for another 5 minutes until they’re completely tender.
  6. Mix in fresh parsley and cilantro right before serving. Adjust salt to taste if desired, and serve with rice pilaf, couscous, quinoa or roasted potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce. (For a grain-free option I love to serve this with a cauliflower “couscous” pilaf studded with currants and toasted sliced almonds.)
Notes
*If you can't find Meyer lemons, substitute one regular lemon and one orange.

**If your chicken stock is salted, omit or reduce the ½ teaspoon salt that gets added to the onion during cooking.
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/moroccan-chicken-carrots-meyer-lemon-green-olives/