Chicken, Apricot and Chickpea Stew

Yes, I know it’s been a LONG TIME since my last post, but that’s another story all together. (Besides,the re-learning curve on my recipe program is really steep!) Anyway, here’s what I’m up to today…

Perfect for a gray autumn or winter day, this slow-cooked stew is sweet and savory comfort food. Serve with rice or couscous and a medium dry red wine. Ras El Hanout is a North African spice mix. The name literally means “top of the shelf” and is made from the best spices to be found in any shop (sometimes as many as 50!) Most blends contain at least the following: ginger, cloves, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and all spice,

INGREDIENTS:

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

1 cup mushrooms coarsely chopped

1 large onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

6 dried apricots, halved

2 tbsp dried barberries

2 tbsp ras el hanout spice blend

1/2 cup water

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper, to taste

PROCEDURE

1 Season the meaty side of the chicken thighs liberally with the Ras El Hanout

2 Brown the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a multi purpose cooker (I use a Ninja) or on your stove top in heavy bottomed, lidded casserole. Remove the chicken and set aside.

3 Lightly saute the garlic and mushrooms in the rendered chicken fat.

4 Change the setting to slow cook, If using a casserole on a stove top, turn the heat to a low simmer.

5 Layer the sliced onions over the mushrooms and top with the chicken thighs (skin side up).

6 Sprinkle on the halved apricots, the barberries, and the remainder of the Ras El Hanout.

7 Carefully pour the water down the side of the pan, taking care not to displace the spices, apricots or barberries.

8 Scatter the chickpeas around the chicken and press them gently into the liquid.

9 Cover and cook very slowly for up to six hours. Can also be prepared in a 250 degree oven.

Servings: 6

Oven Temperature: 275°F

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours and 30 minutes

This entry was posted by Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk.

3 thoughts on “Chicken, Apricot and Chickpea Stew”

Linda Syme on October 21, 2019 at 4:43 pm said:

Thank you for sharing!

Sent from my iPhone

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Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk on October 21, 2019 at 3:52 pm said:

thanks! life does take strange twists and turns, but I’m back up for air.

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Ronit Penso Tasty Eats on October 21, 2019 at 3:48 pm said:

Love the flavors and aroma in this dish. Nice to see you again. 🙂

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