Addi & family's Moroccan lemon Chicken
For 4 to 6 persons:
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 skinless chicken thighs
(with or without bone is fine)
- 1 tea spoon salt
- 1/2 tea spoon paprika
- 1/2 tea spoon pepper
- 1/2 tea spoon cumin
- 1/2 tea spoon ginger
- 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
- 2 tea spoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- A pinch of saffron soaked in 1 cup of water
- 2 bay leaves 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 large onions sliced into thin circles
- Green pitted olives 20 or more
- Juice from 2 lemons to wash chicken.
- Peel from 1/2 preserved lemon sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced into discs
PREPARATION:
1- Wash chicken with water then with the lemon juice and put in a strainer to drip.
2- In a bowl, mix salt, paprika, pepper, cumin, ginger, half of your cilantro, garlic, 1/8 of the olive oil and 1/8 of the water with saffron. Roll chicken in this mixture.
3- Using a Moroccan conical terracotta tajine or other cooking pot like a sauce pan with a cover, lay 2/3 of the onions to cover the bottom of the pot.
4- Lay chicken on top of onions and add the rest of the onions
5- Slide the 2 bay leaves and the 2 cinnamon sticks between the chicken pieces opposite of each other
6 - Add the circles of tomatoes and add the rest of cilantro
7- Add the olives on top
8- Place the preserved lemon slices vertically
9- Pour the remaining olive oil over the chicken
10- Use the remaining water with saffron left, rinse the bowl where you previously rolled the chicken and pour all the sauce over the top.
11- Cover and cook over low fire for 40 to 60 minutes depending on your fire. Keep checking to see if juice is needed to prevent burning the bottom. If you can use charcoal good but if not you can use stove top gas or electric but you will need a heat diffuser to protect your tajine from overheating and braking.
Traditionally served with bread.
Suggested Dessert with this dish:
Orange cinnamon
Peel sweet cold navel oranges and slice them into discs 1/3 of inches thick. Lay the orange discs on a flat plate and at the minute you want to serve them, sprinkle some fresh ground cinnamon and take to the table.
ENJOY!!
