Chicken with Tomatoes and Honey

[Twitchin Kitten]

Last night I decided to try something I've not eaten before, so I started parusing my Middle Eastern cookbook and found this lovely and SIMPLE to make Moroccan 'tagine'.

From the book description:
"This Moroccan tagine is one of my favorites. The chicken cooks in the juice of the tomatoes, which reduces to a sumptuous, thick, honeyed, almost caramelized sauce. and it looks beautiful too."

I can safely say this now is one of my favorite recipes! And this time I took a picture too!

Chicken with Tomatoes and Honey
Djaj Matisha Mesla

Ingredients:

• 1 - 3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken, cut into quarters ( I used breast quarters)
  
• 3 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
  
• 1 large onion, grated
  
• 2 pounds tomatoes, peelsed and cut into pieces ( I simply smushed them in my hands into the pan)
  
• Salt and plenty of pepper
  
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  
• 1/2 tsp crushed saffron threads or powdered saffron (saffron, if you can find it is very expensive but oh what a delicious luxury!)
  
• 2 Tbsp clear honey (Moroccans use up to 4 Tbsp)
  
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds - coarsely chopped, toasted under the broiler or fried in oil
  
• 2 tsp sesame seeds - toasted
  

Put all the ingredients except the honey, almonds and sesame seeds in a large pan. Cook gently, covered, turning the chicken occasionally, for about 1 1/4 hours or until the flesh is so tender it can be pulled off the bone easily.

Remove the chicken, and conitnue to cook the sauce over medium heat until it's reduced to a thick, sizzling cream. Stir as it begins to caramelize, and be careful that it does not stick or burn.

Now stir in the honey, return the chicken pieces to the sauce and heat through.

Serve hot, covered with the sauce and sprinkled with the almonds and sesame seeds.
I served this with a wild rice mix and salad.

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