Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut up (remove the skin from the legs and breasts, and reserve the wings)
- Kosher salt
- 1 lime
- 2 oranges
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Sea salt
- 3 tablespoons EVOO
- 1 rounded tablespoon turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds (half a palmful)
- 4 small fresh bay leaves
- Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup cracked green olives or olive mix
- 2 tablespoons butter
- One 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Handful of fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
Directions
Put the chicken wings in a small pot. Cover with water and sprinkle with salt. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining chicken pieces with the juice of the lime, the juice of 1 orange and half the garlic. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turmeric and cumin seeds and stir for a minute to toast the spices. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and chile peppers, and cook for a minute or 2 more. Add the chicken and turn to coat it with the spiced oil, then cook until the chicken is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Slice the remaining orange and add it to the pan along with the olives. Cook until heated through. Remove the chicken wings from the poaching liquid, and add 1 cup of the liquid to the pan. Partially cover and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks. (If you aren't serving the chicken immediately, cool and then store it in the refrigerator. Store any leftover poaching liquid separately. Reheat the chicken over medium heat and prepare the couscous before serving.)
Combine 1 1/2 cups reserved poaching liquid, the butter, chickpeas and cilantro in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then stir in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Serve the couscous with the chicken.
Photo: Turmeric and Cumin Chicken with Chiles, Cinnamon Oranges and Olive-Chickpea Couscous Recipe
















Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 2 reviews
By diane108
Somers, NY
on April 26, 2013
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This really was an excellent choice for bold flavor! I made it exactly as in the recipe except that I used only thighs, to save some time and it was only for two. If you love the deliciousness and complexity of Moroccan food, this is for you. It was probably meant to be a tagine recipe. It was really spectacularly mouth watering, full of great flavors and easy to make. Just have your mise en place ready :- I feel Rachel is really hitting her stride and this dish is proof. As Cindy before me said, it was not too spicy at all. I took out the seeds ;-
By cindyc2888
Austin, TX
on April 15, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This chicken recipe is so full of flavor. It was so simple to make. The cumin seeds is a great flavor. The addition of the chickpeas to the couscous is a wonderful. I know people think if you add two serranos that it would make this a spicy dish but you can tone it down by taking some of the seeds out. Otherwise it wasn't that spicy! Cheers to Rachel for another fabulous tasty dish.
Read all 2 reviews