Moroccan Chicken Breasts with Olives and Lemon

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(from Bethany’s recipe box)

SERVES 4

Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of zest from the lemon before juicing it. Make sure to trim any white pith from the zest, as it can impart bitter flavor. If the olives are particularly salty, give them a rinse. Serve with couscous.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For the depth and flavor of an authentic tagine in about one hour, we developed a Moroccan chicken breast recipe that followed our standard braised chicken procedure: browning the skin-on pieces to give the braising liquid deep flavor; removing the chicken from the pot; sautéing onion, strips of lemon zest, garlic, and a spice blend (paprika, cumin, cayenne, ginger, coriander, and cinnamon) in a little oil; adding chicken broth and honey; and finally returning the chicken to the pot.

Source: Cook's Illustrated Published July 1, 2007 (CC and CI collection)

Categories: Moroccan, Poultry

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 strips lemon zest, (each about 2 inches by 3/4 inch)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
  • 5 (medium) cloves garlic, minced, or pressed through garlic press (about 5 tsps)
  • 4 (8-oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
  • 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins, very large pieces, cut into half-moons (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup Greek cracked green olives, pitted and halved
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

  1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside. Mince 1 strip lemon zest; combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.

  2. Season both sides of chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken until lightly golden, about 2 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer chicken to large plate.

  3. Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tbsp water if pan gets too dark). Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

  4. Add carrots to pot and arrange chicken on top of carrots. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160°F, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

  5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add olives to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

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