One-Pot Moroccan-Style Chicken Thigh Stew
This one-pot Moroccan-style Chicken Thigh Stew combines chicken thighs with saffron, earthy spices, caramelized onions, zucchini, carrots, and a hint of orange syrup.Bring the flavours of Morocco to your kitchen in just 30 minutes without using a tagine.One serving*: Carbs: 17.4g Fibre: 9.1g Net Carbs: 8.3g
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed Pot with a lid
Ingredients
Chicken and Spices
- 1 lb Chicken thighs boneless skinless cut into 2-inch thick chunks
- 3 Garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Allspice
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 2 Pinches Saffron plus 2 tbsp hot or warm water
- 1.5 tbsp Sweetener
- 2 tbsp Water
Vegetables
- 1 Medium Zucchini cut into thick strips or rounds
- 3 Medium Carrots peeled and cut into half inch rounds/chunks
- ½ Red Onion sliced
- ¼ cup Water to cook with the onions
Oils, Broth and Garnish
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil Grapeseed Oil, or Olive Oil
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ cup Water for deglazing the pot
Orange Syrup
- ¼ cup Orange Juice
- 1 tbsp Butter salted
- ½ Tbsp Sweetener
- 1 pinch Saffron
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables and Spices
- Peel the carrots and cut them into 1/2-inch rounds or chunks. Cut off the ends of the zucchini, then cut them in half and slice them into strips. Peel the red onion, cut it in half and slice it thinly. Save the remaining half for another recipe.
- Peel, crush the garlic and measure all the spices, ready to mix later with the chicken.
Step 2: Mix the Chicken with Spices
- Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces and place them inside a mixing bowl.
- Blend two tablespoons of warm water with a pinch of saffron and sweetener until the sweetener has dissolved and the mixture turns vibrant orange.
- Add all the remaining measured spices and saffron water to the chicken in a bowl and mix to infuse the meat. This will make the dish more flavourful.
Step 3: Cook the Onions and Chicken
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed cooking pot with a lid, then add a 1/4 cup of water and onions. On medium-low heat, fry the onions for about 15 minutes until they are soft, brown tips show up, and no more water is left.
- On medium heat, add the chicken pieces to the onions slowly and braise them on all sides for about 2-3 minutes to lock in all the flavour. You don’t have to thoroughly cook the chicken, as it’ll become firm once you start simmering it later.
Step 4: Remove the Chicken and Cook the Carrots
- Transfer the cooked chicken, along with the onions, into a bowl. They will enhance the flavour when added back to the pot and simmered.
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the sizzling pot and swirl it around on medium heat to loosen any leftover residue from the spices that may have dried up. Next, add the carrots to the pot and cook them for a couple of minutes until they are coated with the spices.
Step 5: Cover the Pot and Simmer
- Once the carrots are coated and glazed, return the chicken to the pot and pour a cup of chicken broth around it. Then, stir it all and cook the chicken, onions and carrots on medium to high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, just until the juices begin to bubble and oil rises to the surface.
- Cover the pot with the lid and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- After simmering for 10 minutes, add the zucchini and continue cooking with the lid on for another 10 minutes.
Step 6: Drizzle Orange Syrup for added Flavour
- Heat butter, orange juice, along with the sweetener in a small saucepan or microwave it in a bowl until it becomes syrupy. Add a pinch of saffron to the syrup to infuse with the citrus mixture.
- Once the chicken stew has cooked for 20 minutes, pour the orange mixture into the pot and add in a tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro to garnish. Make sure the carrots and zucchini are cooked until they’re tender but not mushy.
- Now, it’s time to dig in and enjoy your delicious meal!
Notes
Best Tips and Variations
- To infuse the flavours of the spices and saffron water better into the chicken, coat the chicken pieces with them first before braising. Alternatively, if you have enough time, you can marinate the chicken with the spices for about an hour and store it in the fridge.
- Cook the onions with water to brown and caramelize them quickly since they will bring a sweet, earthy flavour to the stew. Also, you can make Caramelized Onions ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until ready to use.
- Simmer the stew for a maximum of 20 minutes to keep the carrots slightly firm, or a little bit longer for softer carrots.
- For best results, add the zucchini to the dish towards the end of the simmering process, approximately 10 minutes before the dish is fully cooked. This will help maintain the texture of the zucchini and prevent it from becoming too soft and mushy. Also, consider cutting the zucchini into slightly chunkier pieces to ensure it cooks perfectly for this dish.
- After transferring the chicken and onions to a bowl, add some water to the pot to deglaze it and release all the spices stuck at the bottom. This will liven up the juices.
- You can mix things up with this dish by swapping out the zucchini for eggplant. Just keep in mind that eggplant has tougher skin and firmer texture than zucchini. So, chop it up slightly chunkier and add it to the stew when you put in the carrots. This way, the eggplant will have enough time to cook and soften up properly.