Moroccan Chicken Thighs

I have to admit that I was a little unsure of how this meal would turn out. Visually, it is not the most appealing dish and for some reason "Moroccan" scared me.  But, if you've never tried Moroccan food before, this would be a recipe to start with.  Despite its dull appearance, it was full of flavor. The chicken was very tender and the apricots gave it just the right amount of sweetness in each bite.  I recommend serving it with couscous cooked in chicken or vegetable broth for added flavor.  My daughters ate every bite on their plates!

recipe courtesy Cooking Light Magazine

Moroccan Chicken Thighs

1/2 teaspoon olive oil 

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs 

2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion 

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

1 (7-ounce) package dried apricots (about 1 1/3 cups), halved

couscous (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

Add onion to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return chicken to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, chickpeas, and apricots to pan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serves 8.