HOW TO: make moroccan chicken

Back by popular demand! So I figured what good is it to show you how to roast a chicken, if you don't know what to do with it after that.

Here's what happened: Brittany made a Moroccan stew, which called for some cinnamon. We already use cinnamon sugar, but have been buying it pre-mixed. So I bought some cinnamon and used a pinch in her stew.

So I tried to find a recipe that could use up some cinnamon. It just so happened that I've got a roasted chicken on hand, so this seemed perfect.

I had to make some adaptations because the recipe is for raw chicken and I didn't have any honey or currants (or even raisins or craisins). So I sort of winged it. Here's how I did it.

I started with some chopped onion and olive oil in a skillet over medium, and added some chopped almonds. I let that sweat for a couple minutes and then added some finely chopped garlic cloves and some breast pieces from my roasted chicken, straight out of the bag. I let that cook with just some salt and pepper until it was heated throughout and browned a little.

Then I hit the whole pan with a generous coating of cinnamon and cumin. I flipped the chicken pieces and seasoned it some more.

I was ready to add some salsa, as it needed some sort of sauce, but then didn't think that my green tequila-lime salsa would match the intended moroccan flavor. Instead, I audibled to my Cuban-style Mojo Citrus sauce that had the right chili flavor I was looking for. I placed my chicken pieces on some garlic & olive oil couscous that was leftover from Brittany's dinner the night before. And then scraped all the little bits of chicken, almond and onion on top.

Click for HD!

I almost didn't take a picture, but I'm glad I did. It's one of my favorite meals I've ever made and I plan on making it again. The cinnamon/cumin combination is fantastic, but the best part was the chopped almonds. It added an amazing texture contrast, in addition to taking on all the flavors of the dish. I even wish I had more couscous as it added a nice layer.

Next time I wouldn't change a thing as far the sauce I used or adding honey. But I think some craisins would add a little fruit flavor that would be a nice addition.

Thanks to having the chicken pre-cooked and ready to go, the prep-time for this dish is the time to chop some almonds and onion. And it cooks in about ten minutes. Making the couscous from the box mix, takes about that same time too. And it's healthy. Good times.