Braised Moroccan Chicken
Smokey with sweet and savoury depth.
This rich and cozy recipe is all comfort food— and despite the long list of ingredients it comes together quite easily with fairly little prep. I also love this meal on cold days, for entertaining friends and family, and when I’m in the mood for straight-up feel good food that comes in a one-dish meal.
If you’ve never tried it before, Moroccan-style chicken gives a full complement of flavours with warm spices, the tang of olives and tomatoes, and the unlikely but perfect sweetness of dried fruit to balance everything out. It’s a meal designed to feel complex and slow-cooked, but is one that’s so easy you’ll serve it time and again.—CFG
Ingredients:
For the Brine
8 cups cold water
5-6tbsp kosher salt
Lemon peel of one lemon
1tbsp peppercorn
3-4 cloves of garlic smashed, no need to peel
For the Chicken
4-6 chicken thighs with leg attached -OR- 1 full chicken sectioned into pieces (skin on)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
olive oil
1-2 tbsp butter
For the Braise
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2–3 tbsp harissa paste (I prefer Bezul rose harissa paste)
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 2/3 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
2/3 cup dried cranberries -OR- chopped apricots -OR- golden raisins
½ cup green olives, pitted and halved
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Fresh cilantro and/or parsley, chopped
Toasted almonds or pistachios (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)
Directions
Place the brine ingredients (8 cups of water, 5-6 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp peppercorns, the peel of one lemon, and 3-4 cloves of garlic smashed) in a large sized pot and warm on low heat just until the salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl or Dutch oven and pour the cooled brine so it completely covers the meat. Cover with a lid or food wrap and store in the fridge for 4-6 hours. (Note: if using a whole chicken, separate the thighs from the drumsticks and cut each breast in half to create equal-sized pieces.)
Once you’re ready to start the meal, drain the brine off, then rinse the chicken in cold water.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and season on both sides with 1 tsp each of coarsely ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off all the excess. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 tbsp ground cumin, 1/2 tbsp ground coriander, 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Set aside.
Next, add olive oil and 1-2 tbsp of butter to the braised and heat on medium. Transfer the seasoned and floured chicken pieces into the brasier and cook for 8-9min on each side until deep golden brown. (You may be tempted to check on the chicken or move it around the pan, but just let it cook untouched.) The chicken won’t be cooked through, but will appear crisp on outside. Remove the chicken from the heat and set aside.
Using remaining oil in pan, add in 1 large, thinly sliced onion and cook on medium-low heat for ~ 8-10min. Next, add in 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1tbsp of freshly grated ginger. Cook for 1-2min.
Add in 2–3 tbsp of harissa paste, 2 tbsp of tomato paste, and the spice mixture. Stir the mixture and cook on medium-low heat for 1–2 min until fragrant and slightly darkened.
To deglaze the mixture, add 1 large can of diced tomatoes, 1 2/3 cup of chicken stock, 1 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar, and the juice of ½ lemon. Stir well and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add in 2/3 cups of selected dried fruit, ½ cup of green olives, and 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas. Gently stir the mixture until everything is fully incorporated.
Nestle the chicken pieces back into the sauce.(The liquid should cover a little more than half of the chicken. Add a splash of chicken stock to bring up the liquid level as needed.)
Place a trimmed piece of parchment paper the size of the braiser over the chicken, and begin the braise by partially covering and simmering gently on medium-low for ~30min until the chicken is tender and the sauce is rich.
Pair with couscous, flatbread, and poached/roasted carrots.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Twists
Add charred red peppers for a deeper Moroccan flavour
Add a spoonful of Greek yogurt when serving -OR- a few splashes of coconut milk to taste during braising for creamy variations
