Recipe of the Day: Moroccan Chicken Thighs

This is a family favorite.  As it takes time, I will often follow it to the point of the 2 hour cooking and just put it in the crockpot to simmer all day while I'm at work.  I will sub bone-in chicken thigh then and the flavor is incredible!  I pull the bones out and shred the meat when I get home.  I've even found that I can add Basmati Rice when I get home, and let it simmer for an hour.  It's wonderful!  


Moroccan Chicken Thighs



Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/2  teaspoon  olive oil

• 2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken thighs

• 2  cups  thinly sliced yellow onion

• 1  tablespoon  minced peeled fresh ginger

• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin

• 1/2  teaspoon  salt

• 1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander

• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

• 4  garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

• 1  (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

• 1  (7-ounce) package dried apricots (about 1 1/3 cups), halved  (I omit these – I’m not a fruit in my meat fan)

Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.  Place in crock pot when doneAdd onion to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Add to crock pot along with chicken broth and chick peas.   Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Add apricots when you get home and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Serve with brown rice. 

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 301
Fat: 9.7g
Protein: 24.5g
Carbohydrate: 28.2g
Fiber: 5.2g
Cholesterol: 76 mg
Iron: 2.7 mg
Sodium: 397mg
Calcium:53 mg