moroccan chicken stew with couscous

spice it up with this traditional dish from northern Africa

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb skinless chicken legs, split (about 4 whole legs)

1 Tbsp Moroccan spice blend*

1 C carrots, rinsed, peeled, and diced

1 C onion, diced

¼ C lemon juice

2 C low-sodium chicken broth

½ C ripe black olives, sliced

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp chili sauce (optional)

For couscous:

1 C low-sodium chicken broth

1 C couscous (try whole-wheat couscous)

1 Tbsp fresh mint, rinsed, dried, and shredded thin (or 1 tsp dried)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

1.Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add chicken legs, and brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and put on a plate with a cover to hold warm.

2. Add spice blend to sauté pan and toast gently.

3. Add carrots and onion to sauté pan, and cook for about 3–4 minutes or until the onions have turned clear, but not brown.

4 .Add lemon juice, chicken broth, and olives to sauté pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken legs, and return to a boil. Cover and gently simmer for about 10–15 minutes (to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F).

5.chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add couscous, and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

6. Fluff couscous with a fork, and gently mix in the mint.

7. When chicken is cooked, add salt. Serve two chicken legs over ½ cup couscous topped with ½ cup sauce in a serving bowl. Add chili sauce to taste.

You also can make your own Moroccan spice blend by mixing 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon per 1 pound of meat or chicken. Make this mix in advance and store it in your pantry to use as needed.