Tajine Chicken

By Janet-2

Ingredients

• Spice mix:
• 3 tbsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. ground ginger or 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• Tagine:
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 whole chicken legs, split at the joint into thighs and drumsticks.
• 1 white onion, cut into 6 wedges
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into 6 wedges
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• pinch of saffron
• 5 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed tightly
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• spice mix
• peel from 1 lemon, minced.

Preparation

Step 1

Mix the ingredients for the spice mix well.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Preheat a large shallow saute pan over medium-high heat and add half the olive oil. Rub the chicken with half the spice mix and sprinkle with salt. Sear the pieces on all sides until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.Turn off the heat, but reserve the pan with the oil and chicken fat.

In a 14-to 16-inch tagine or 5 quart Dutch oven set over meidum heat, warm the remaining olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to just below medium and cook, stirring for about 10 minutes.

While the onion cooks, return the saute pan to medium-high heat and saute the cauliflower, carrots, fennel separately, until tender, seasoning each batch with salt and adding it to the tagine. Once all the vegetables have been added, mix in the tomato paste, remaining spice mix, and saffron. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently.

Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables in the tagine and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the spinach, olives, raisins, and lemon peel. Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Adjust salt to taste.

Serve with couscous.