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Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Apricots, Sacha Served What

Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Apricots

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern, Moroccan
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cardamom
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1- inch chunk ginger peeled
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 yellow onion peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 big pinch saffron threads
  • 1 preserved lemon quartered, pulp removed and discarded, and skin finely chopped
  • 20 pitted Castelvetrano olives halved
  • 10 dried apricots thinly sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
  • Parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Adjust rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • In small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cardamom, and a generous grinding of freshly ground black pepper until well-combined.
  • Season chicken. In a large bowl, mix about 2/3 of the spice mixture with olive oil. Add chicken pieces and a generous amount of Kosher salt (I used about 2 ½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt for 8 pieces of chicken) and mix to combine until evenly coated.
  • Make the base of the sauce. In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, Dijon, a generous amount of Kosher salt (I used 2 teaspoons for 8 pieces of chicken), freshly ground black pepper, chicken stock, and the remaining spice mixture. Blend well.
  • In a large baking dish, scatter the onions over the bottom. On top of the onions, scatter the dried thyme, red pepper flakes, saffron threads, preserved lemon, olives, and apricots. Add the bay leaf and pour the blended sauce over the onion mixture. Add the chicken pieces, skin side up.
  • Bake for 1 hour, until chicken is cooked through, skin is crispy, and sauce has thickened slightly.
  • Taste sauce and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. If desired, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

Moroccan Chicken can be prepped ahead of time. Chicken can be seasoned and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. Sauce can be blended and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. 
Moroccan Chicken can be made ahead of time, cooled, and stored covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in the oven until sauce is bubbling and chicken is warmed through. 
Keyword celiac, easy, flavorful, gluten free, one dish, One pan, Pine Nuts, spices
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