This really is Kennedy’s Favorite Chicken dish. Two points make this dish stand out. First, the Moroccan flavors in this dish are delicious: savory, strong, and yet subtle. Many thanks to Joyce Goldstein, who supplied the inspiration for this dish, which we re-engineered for Colbrook Kitchen long before it was a business. Second, braising in the microwave produces chicken that is thoroughly cooked and flavorful ... and still moist. So the leftovers get even better as the flavors meld deeper: make more because you’ll want it again. It’s best served with Couscous, which loves the flavors in the braising liquid.
8 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast, cut in 1" pieces (bite-sized)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cups Onion, coarsely chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, sliced
2 Teaspoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt w/ Red Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Biber (Turkish red pepper flakes, substitute regular red pepper flakes, if you can't find Turkish)
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
6 Pieces Preserved Lemons
2/3 Cup Kalamata Olive, pitted and sliced
1/3 Cup Slivered Almonds
2 Lemons, juiced
- Cook chicken, oil, onions, garlic, seasonings (4t combined seasonings), and herbs {over medium-low heat}. [microwave 2 min. covered]
- Warm gradually, turning ingredients in oil for a few minutes.
- Add water to cover approximately halfway, {bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes}. [microwave 8 min. covered]
- Add salt & pepper and preserved lemon peel, olives, almonds and lemon juice and {cook 15 minutes more}. [microwave 5 min. covered]
- Serve over rice or couscous.
- We pre-mix the spices in larger batches, and then just use 4t of the mixture.
- The directions are written for two types of preparation: { } indicates directions for cooking over the stove, and [ ] indicates directions for using the microwave.
- We use the microwave exclusively for this because it's quicker, the chicken is more tender, and the results are better.
- This recipe is written for a 1200 watt microwave
