Moroccan Spiced Lemon Chicken

MoroccanSpiced Lemon Chicken

Moroccan food is a perfect choice to serve for a casual supper for a crowd. The aromas, flavors, and colors of the Maghreb all magically spring to life right in front of your guests eyes. For me Moroccan food satisfies all the hallmarks of a truly world class cuisine as well as being food that almost anyone can master right at home in their own kitchen. Like other regional Mediterranean cuisines the emphasis in Moroccan cookery relies on traditional foods and flavors that highlight locally grown produce along with a modest, but assertive, use of poultry, meats, and fish. Harissa is then the tie that binds any Moroccan meal together.

Harissa’s is a rich earthy red chile laced sauce found all over Morocco. (see recipe here). Always on hand in my kitchen as it will most likely be in yours once you have tasted it. Make your own. I promise you, you will become addicted.

Moroccan meal with Spiced Lemon chicken

Moroccan food really is easy to prepare, mostly in advance, with only a few final flourish that won’t leave you frazzled and exhausted just as your guests arrive. I have included the menu for a Moroccan supper for twelve that I recently cooked for a friend’s birthday party. The flavors of Morocco were duly relished by all!

Summer Moroccan Supper

Hummus (see recipe here) with Bread Sticks

Spiced Moroccan Lemon Chicken

Harissa

Roasted Pumpkin with Red Onions & Roasted Spiced Cauliflower

Couscous

Smoked Eggplant with Garlic Flat bread

Dessert

Fresh cherry frangipane Tart (see recipe here)

Moroccan Spiced Lemon chicken     serves 4

• 4 boneless organic chicken thighs
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds, coarsely ground
• 1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds, coarsely ground
• 1 teaspoon toasted black peppercorns, coarsely ground
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika (Spanish if available)
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon chile flakes
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups stock (or water)
• 1 lemon 1 tablespoon honey
• roasted red chile strips (optional)

In a large non-reactive bowl combine the onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, paprika, chile flakes, 1 teaspoons sea salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix until combined.

Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and massage the marinade into the thighs. Flatten the contents of the bowl so the thighs are completely submerged in the marinade. Cover with cling film and set aside for at least an hour or refrigerate for several hours.

Trim the ends off the lemon and thinly slice the lemon crosswise into rounds. Place the rounds in a skillet in a single layer and add water to just cover. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and place the skillet over medium heat and Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the stove and drain off the water. Drizzle the honey over the slices and set aside to use later.

Preheat the oven to 400 f / 200 c Adjust the oven rack to the upper half of the oven.

Bring the marinated thighs to room temperature if they have been refrigerated.

Place the thighs, skin side up, in a deep baking tray or oven proof dish. Pat the remaining marinade over and around the sides of the thighs. Add enough stock to the tray to come about half way up the sides of the thighs. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Divide the prepared lemon slices in half.

Open the oven, rotate the tray, and place lemon slices on top of thighs. Garnish each thigh with strips of roast red chiles (optional). Close the oven door and roast another 15 minutes.

Then remove the tray from the oven and pour the remaining cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Cover the chicken lightly with foil and set aside to rest.

Place the saucepan of cooking liquid on the stove top and add an additional cup of stock to the pan. Set the pan over medium high heat and cook until reduced by half.

Serving:

Plate the thighs and spoon pan juices over the thighs.

As suggested, serve with roasted pumpkin (see recipe here) and spiced roasted cauliflower (or other seasonal vegetables), couscous, and harissa as pictured. Place the reduced pan juices in a bowl placed on the table for ladling over all.