This one pot-dinner simmers with warm and earthy spices that braise juicy chicken legs in rich flavor. Serve this alongside some Moroccan couscous, white rice, or simply mop it up with bread!
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spread 1 Tbsp tomato paste and 1 Tbsp oil on the bottom of a large and shallow pan, such as a ceramic or clay dish.
3. Arrange half of the potato slices and half of the onion slices along the bottom of the dish.
4. Arrange the chicken pieces over the potatoes and onions and season with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle all the spices, remaining olive oil, and the red pepper paste all over the chicken pieces and rub generously, ensuring it goes under the chicken skin, too.
6. Arrange the remaining onion slices, potatoes, and pepper slices around the chicken pieces.
7. Place the lemon wedges, olives, and dried fruit around the chicken, along with the cinnamon sticks.
8. Mix the water with the remaining tomato paste and about 1⁄2 tsp of salt and pour over the chicken evenly.
9. Cover with foil and place in the oven to roast for about 1 hour, until the thick part of the chicken reaches 165
degrees internal temperature. Remove the foil for about 10 minutes to get some golden color on the chicken skin.
Chef’s note: All the spices and red pepper paste may be found in the spice aisle in the grocery store. These spices are common in most North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, so if you enjoy these flavors, they are great to have in the pantry. Dried apricots or figs are used in the recipe and lend a natural sweet, caramelized flavor in this dish; raisins may be used if dried apricots are not available.
Per Serving: Calories 685 kcal, Carbohydrates 27.6g, Protein 40.8g, Saturated Fat 11, Sodium 642, Fiber 6.6, Sugars 7.7g
This recipe is from Noha El-Sharkawy from SugarandGarlic.com