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5 from 6 votes

North African Chicken Thighs with Dates & Pomegranate Molasses

Amazingly flavorful, this is an unbelievable chicken dish you have to try to truly appreciate it.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Passive Time0 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Francine Lizotte
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African, Moroccan
Keyword Chicken, Dinner Party, Easy Recipe, Elegant Cuisine, Gluten Free, Low Sodium/No Sodium, One Pot Meals, Poultry

Ingredients

CHICKEN THIGHS

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds tips & tricks
  • 6 large chicken thighs
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
  • 1 tbsp. clarified butter
  • 2 cups white onions, diced
  • 3/4 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup celery, thinly sliced tips & tricks
  • 2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 2 tbsp. ras el hanout
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 4 large cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses see Recipe
  • 3/4 cup dates such as Medjool, pitted and quartered (about 20 dates)
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch (mixed with 1/2 cup cold water)
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt, as a side

COUSCOUS

  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/8 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
  • 1 cup couscous, medium grind

Directions

CHICKEN THIGHS

  • In a small skillet, add almonds and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes; set aside.
  • Season the chicken thighs with freshly ground black pepper and ground sea salt; set aside.
  • In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, add oil and clarified butter. When hot, add thighs, skin side down, and cook about 5 minutes on each side.
  • Transfer to a plate and remove most of the fat in the pan, keeping about 1 1/2 tbsp.
  • Add onions, carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 3 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • Add ras el hanout, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger; sauté for 1 ½ minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and pomegranate molasses; cook for 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add dates and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Place thighs back in the pan, skin side up, cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 1:30 hours, basting every 20 minutes.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chicken thighs to a plate.
  • Add cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. To make the sauce glossy, add butter; stir well.
  • Place 1 thigh on a bed of couscous and spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle on almonds and parsley. Serve with plain yogurt on the side.

COUSCOUS

  • 15 minutes before the end of cooking, start boiling the chicken broth and add a pinch sea salt.
  • When boiling, add couscous, stir, cover and remove from the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes; fluff before serving.