Chicken Tagine

 Chicken Tagine

INGREDIENTS of Chicken Tagine

Mixing SPICE

3 ½ tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

2 teaspoons allspice ½

FOR Tagine

8 chicken thighs, about 3 pounds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons spicy soup mix

⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin

3 tomatoes Roma

A head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 pinch of saffron

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low sodium

3 tablespoons preserved lemons, about 2 lemons, chopped

1 cup green olives, as Castelvetranos

½ bunch cilantro, leaves and stems collected discarded.

PREPARATION of Chicken Tagine

Mix the spices in a dry skillet set over low heat and gently roast until they release their fragrance, two minutes or more. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a bowl of ice water in the face. Core the tomatoes, and marked an X on their funds. Boil the cauliflower florets in water for 3 minutes, then plunge into ice water. Tomatoes boil for 20 seconds, and cooled in ice water as well. Remove the cauliflower in cold weather, and pat dry branches. Peel the skin off the tomatoes cut into quarters lengthwise. Cut the seeds to make petals.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken in batches, starting with the skin side down, until golden brown thighs. Remove chicken in Dutch oven or large pot tajine. Remove all but two tablespoons of fat in the pan and return to heat and brown the cauliflower and add to chicken.
Reduce the heat under the pot and add onion, garlic, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chicken broth and simmer until reduced by one third.
Pour sauce over chicken and cauliflower, cover the pan and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, combine tomatoes, preserved lemon and olives, then cover the pan and cook again for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken in the pot, garnished with coriander leaves with couscous. Reserve remaining spice mixture for the next batch or other use. It keeps well in an airtight container.