Moroccan Chicken Couscous
We must admit that couscous tastes better, smells better, and is better when eaten in a market place bustling with people in a restaurant you have sat for recluse from the sun! This recipe will either bring you closer to a fond memory or just give you a taster of real moroccan cuisine and culture!
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EmailIngredients:
3 1/2 pound chicken, cut in 6 pieces
3 1/2 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion
5 pounds plum tomatoes
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 whole jalapeno chili
5 cinnamon sticks
2 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp saffron threads
5 small turnips
4 large carrots,
1 large acorn squash
3 small zucchini
16 ounce canned garbanzo beans
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tbs salt
3 cups couscous, about 18 ounces
4 cups chicken broth, canned or home-made
Procedure:
- Cut the onions into wedges
- Quarter the tomatoes
- Peel and quarter the turnips
- Peel and quarter the carrots and zucchini lengthwise and crosswise
- Peel, seed the acorn squash & cut into 2 inch pieces
1. Combine chicken and broth in a large casserole. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes.
2. Using tongs remove chicken from cooking liquid: reserve cooking liquid, skin and bone chicken; cut into bite size pieces.
3. Melt 2 tbsp of butter with the oil in large heavy oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and next 8 ingredients and stir 30 seconds.
5. Mix in reserved cooking liquid, turnips, carrots, squash, zucchini and garbanzo beans with liquid.
6. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
7. Add chicken pieces to sauce and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Discard jalapeno.
8. Meanwhile bring 2 1/4 cup. Water and 1-1/2 tbsp butter and salt to boiling. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes; fluff with fork.
9. Arrange couscous in centre of serving platter. Drizzle couscous with 3/4 cup sauce. Spoon chicken and vegetables atop couscous.
10. Serve passing remaining sauce separately.
