This one pot wonder is packed full of flavour, with a delicate blend of middle eastern spices. Fresh apricots, a fruit often used in Ottoman cuisine, give a balanced sweetness to this dish.
Middle Eastern chicken with apricots
Ingredients
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1.6 kg free-range chicken, cut into 8 pieces
¼ cup olive oil
1 brown onion, finely sliced
2cm fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 pinches saffron threads
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup (250 ml) white wine
2 cups (500mL) chicken stock
8 apricots, halved
¼ cup honey
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/3 cup shelled pistachios to garnish
couscous to serve
Method
Mix salt, cumin, pepper and turmeric together in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss well to coat.
Turn on flexInduction to 9.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over front section of induction. Add chicken pieces and brown for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Move pan to middle section of induction.
Add onion, ginger, garlic and any remaining spice mix to the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add saffron threads, thyme and wine.
Move pan to front section of induction. Bring to a simmer; add stock, chicken pieces, apricot halves, lemon juice, zest and honey. Pour over enough water to cover chicken and bring to the boil.
Move pan to back section of induction; cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for a further 10–15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the sauce is slightly reduced. Stir through the pistachio nuts and serve with couscous.
Notes
We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.
Photography by Steen Vestergaard. Styling by Caroline Velik.
Authors Bio
Caroline Velik is acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading commercial food stylists and has worked with many of Australia’s head chefs. As a food writer, she develops, tests and writes recipes, and has worked as Food Editor for a leading lifestyle magazine and as a regular, popular recipe contributor and columnist for a national newspaper. She is passionate about using fresh, seasonal ingredients to create delicious recipes that you will continue to cook again and again.