Chicken Tagine with Lemons and Olives

The traditional version of this classic Moroccan stew is made with homemade preserved lemons and involves a long cooking time. We've simplified the recipe by using lemon rind and juice to achieve the same subtle lemon flavor. Ours is also slow-simmered to yield a rich broth like the original's, but it's made in a fraction of the time. Since this dish is so saucy, it's best served over couscous.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken piece and 1/3 cup sauce)

Ingredients

* 2 chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned
* 2 chicken leg quarters (about 1 pound), skinned
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 3/4 cup pitted whole green olives
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken, broth, olives, cinnamon, and ginger; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon; place 1 chicken piece on each of 4 plates. Add lemon rind, juice, cilantro, and parsley to pan; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Spoon sauce over chicken.
Nutritional Information

Calories: 345 (30% from fat)
Fat: 11.5g (sat 2.5g,mono 5.9g,poly 2.3g)
Protein: 49.9g
Carbohydrate: 9.2g
Fiber: 2.5g
Cholesterol: 145mg
Iron: 3.7mg
Sodium: 769mg
Calcium: 87mg

Jessica B. Harris, Cooking Light, MAY 2001