One Pot Moroccan Chicken and Rice - a ton of flavor and minimal clean-up.
Ingredients
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or less, if you like less heat)
¼ tsp whole cloves
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 large pinch saffron
Kosher salt
a pinch of black pepper, freshly ground
5 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup long grain rice
2 bay leaves
1 large lemon, zest and juice
½ cup Kalamata olives
2 cups good quality unsalted chicken stock
1 lemon for garnish, optional
Instructions
In a heavy-bottomed pot or pan over medium heat, toast the first 6 ingredients until they start to smoke. Remove from heat and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or coffee grinder.*
In a large bowl, add 3 tablespoons of oil, spice mix, garlic, ginger, cilantro, saffron, ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix to a paste. Add the chicken, rubbing the marinade over all the pieces. Cover and refrigerate for two hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet or pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the chicken skin side down and brown, approximately 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off the fat and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the bay leaves, lemon juice, lemon zest, olives, chicken stock, and a pinch of salt. Bring the contents to a boil, turn off the heat, and place the chicken on top of the rice. Cover tightly with a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, and allow the excess liquid to cook off while in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard. Taste and season to taste, if needed. Serve with sliced lemon and enjoy!
Notes
* Using whole spices is ideal for toasting and it amps up the spices flavor. But if you don't have a coffee or spice grinder - you can toast already ground spices. One cinnamon stick equals approximately 1 teaspoon.
Recipe by at https://hapanom.com/one-pot-moroccan-chicken-rice/