Moroccan Saffron Chicken Tagine

Chicken cooked with lots of onions, saffron and other Moroccan spices is easy to make and the savory foundation to a number of delicious Moroccan dishes such as Chicken Bastilla and Chicken Briouats.

You'll be tempted to eat this tender, flavorful chicken right from the pot, but it's best served on a bed of Moroccan Rice Pilaf or in Seffa Medfouna.

Yield :4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces and skin removed
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. white pepper
2 sticks cinammon
1 tsp.saffron threads,crumbled
1 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt
1/4 c butter
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

1.Mix all ingredients in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Cover, and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender and pulls easily off the bone. Do not add water, and be careful not to burn the chicken.

2.Reduce the liquids until they are mostly oils. Discard the cinnamon sticks, and taste for seasoning. (The sauce should be a bit salty and peppery.)

3.Serve the chicken and sauce on a bed of rice or hidden within a mound of steamed broken vermicelli or couscous (Seffa Medfouna).

Recipe & Image courtesy of Christine Belafquih,Moroccan Food Guide