Moroccan Lemon-Olive Chicken with Pine-Nut Saffron Rice

Beth

ingredients

Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into large bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 lemons (organic or Meyer, if available), 1 sliced into rounds about half an inch thick and 1 cut in half, divided
2 fresh bay leaves
2 teaspoons (2/3 palmful) turmeric
2 teaspoons (2/3 palmful) coriander
2 teaspoons (2/3 palmful) cumin
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup large, pitted, green olives
A handful mint leaves, finely chopped
2 handfuls parsley leaves, finely chopped
Rice
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons butter
A handful of thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken stock
A handful of golden raisins

1
Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil ripples and begins to smoke, add chicken pieces and brown 3-4 minutes to get good color on the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
2
Add the onions, garlic, lemon rounds and bay leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, 6-7 minutes more. Add spices, stock and olives to the skillet and cook 5 minutes more to reduce. Remove from heat, squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon into the skillet and stir in the herbs.
3
Heat EVOO in saucepot over medium heat. Add the nuts and toast, then remove and reserve.
4
Step
5
Melt the butter in the pot then add the broken pasta and toast to golden. Stir in saffron and rice then add stock. Bring to boil, stir in raisins, cover and simmer 17-18 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed.
6
Fluff rice with a fork and stir in the reserved nuts.