Chicken, Rice and Vegetables A la Morroco

I had some vegetables to use up so I put together this dish last night. The secret ingredient of Carmadon really brings out a bright flavor in the apricots and tomatoes. Once again, a one pot meal that makes for easy clean up. I used my trusty Caphalon 8.5 qt dutch oven-braising the concoction so all of the flavors really come out. I love the Caphalon dutch oven because it is big enough to hold a good size meal for four, it goes from stove top to oven easily, and it cleans up very easily. It's also wide enough that you don't layer your food as much so everything cooks more evenly. Definitely a pot worth investing in ( or ask for on your gift list).

I used chicken thighs, but if you are white meat person you could definitely replace- just watch the chicken that it doesn't over cook and get too dry. Also, when I made this, I put all the vegetables in at once- however, my butternut squash and broccoli was a little mushy, so I would suggest putting them in a little later in the cooking process.

Ingredients

-6-8 chicken thighs, bones in, skin removed

-1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

-1 small onion chopped

-1/2 of a butternut squash, cubed to about 3/4 inch pieces ( not too small)

-1 red pepper, sliced

-1 package of pre-cut mushrooms

-1/2 bag of baby carrots

-1/2 head of broccoli florets, most of stem removed.

( you can add any vegetables you want to use up )

-1 28 can of plum tomatoes, cut up, or diced tomatoes, no salt added, with juice

-1 1/2 teaspoons of Cumin

-1 heaping teaspoon of chopped bottle garlic

-4 whole cloves

-heaping 1/2 teaspoon of Carmadon

-I Can of low sodium chicken broth

-1 Cup of uncooked rice

-1 Cup of cut up apricots

Pre heat oven to 350

1- on stove top, fry chicken in olive oil for a minute or so on each side to sear in juices.

2- turn off heat. Pour uncooked rice into bottom of pan.

3- add carrots, onions, mushrooms, red pepper and apricots

4- in a bowl, mix tomatoes with juice, garlic, Cumin, Carmadon, Cloves, chicken broth. Pour over chicken and hard vegetables.

5- Cover and place in oven. Cook for about 20 minutes. Remove, add remaining softer vegetables ( broccoli, squash, pea pods, etc) . Stir and recover-

6- cook for about 40 -50 more minutes, until chicken is done, vegetables are soft, and rice is cooked. You might need a little water the last few minutes if the rice has absorbed too much liquid.

Oriental Chicken , Rice and Vegtables Recipe

It's been rainy and dreary out the past couple of days, so I'm into eating a stew or hot casserole tonight. One of my favorites is this chicken dish. It's a one pot meal ( once again, I pull out my trusty Caphalon 8.5 qt dutch oven) so it's easy clean up. The secret ingredient to this recipe is definitely the Chinese five spice powder. If you've never cooked with this spice, you are really missing out. It's used alot in Chinese cooking- and it hits all of your flavor buds- sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, and salty. I guess you can make your own- it's a combination of peppercorns, cinnamon, anise, cloves, and fennel, but I get it in the spice section of Stop and Shop.... so much easier.

Once again, this is a braising recipe ( my preferred method of cooking) , cooking this in the oven really melds all the flavors together for a very tasty dish. You could probably make it in a crock pot if you're into them.

The only caution I have on this recipe is that you have to be careful not to overcook the veg tables or they get too mushy. So I like to cook the carrots, broccoli and red pepper longer, but let the more delicate vegetables cook less. You can also adjust your vegtable selection and quantity to your liking. Just remember that most vegtables give off alot of water which may make the sauce a bit watery.

6-8 chicken thighs, no skin, bones still in
olive oil for browning chicken

Sauce ingredients
-1 Cup of orange juice
-2 Cups of chicken broth ( i would get the big box, you might want to add more while cooking if you see the casserole getting dry)
-1/4 cup of brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce
-1/4 cup of ketchup ( or you can you a couple of tablespoons of left over tomato paste)
-1 Tablespoon of vinegar
-2 Teaspoons of minced garlic
-1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
-1/4 HEAPING teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder
-2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water mixed until dissolved into a paste

Remaining ingredients
1 cup of uncooked rice
1/2 bag of baby carrots
1 Red pepper cut into strips
a handful of broccoli heads, cut up into small bite size pieces
1/2 large sweet onion cut sliced
1 package of sliced mushrooms
1 package of Chinese snow peas ( the flat ones)

1- heat the oven to 350
2- brown chicken in oil in the dutch oven for a few minutes until brown on all sides
3- while chicken is browning, mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl
4- once chicken is done, add rice, carrots, and red pepper to pan. Pour sauce over chicken and rice.
5- cover and bake in oven for about 45 minutes
6-Stir, add remaining vegtables and bake for another 30 or so minutes until the chicken is no longer pink and falling off the bones and the vegtables are done .

FYI- The Rice will absorb the liquid. If it looks like it is getting too dry, add some more chicken broth while it is cooking.
If the sauce looks too watery, take the cover off for the last 10 minutes or so to help reduce the liquid.

Braised Chicken and Sausage Cacciatore Recipe

This is one of my favorite meals to cook on the weekend - especially when we're going to settle down and watch some serious TV. the secret ingredient is Vermouth. It really changes the flavor of the sauce. You don't want to put it in the sauce until the end however, or else it will burn off and you will lose the flavor.

By the way, I am not a crock pot kinda girl. I find them to be small ( even though my new one is the bigger version) and hard to clean ( yes, i tried spraying it with cooking spray but it still is very cumbersome to clean in the sink afterwords.) So I have become a fan of braising. I think this technique brings out much more flavor in your dishes, but still keeps meat moist and juicy. I also like that you can control the time vegetables are in the pot so they don't get so mushy. Herbs do better in braising vs crock pot- they lose all their flavor if they are cooked too long. And of course, the cooking time is cut way back when you braise.

So for my Chicken C, I always use a dutch oven. A very handy pot in the kitchen. I have large 7 quart metal dutch oven that can go from stove pot to oven and I love it.


Braised Chicken and Sausage Cacciatore
Vegetable oil
6 to 8 chicken thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts with bones in, but no skin
1 package of sweet Italian sausages
flour for dredging
a package of dry chicken bullion
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (I like Cento the best- not tinny tasting)
1 can of low sodium tomato paste
2 stalks celery cut into small pieces
2 small or 1 very large sweet onion sliced
1 or 2 red peppers sliced ( You can use green peppers if you prefer)
1 package of sliced mushrooms
parsley- a couple of tablespoons of dry- if you use fresh- 1/4 cup chopped
2 bay leaves
Italian basil- a couple of teaspoons of dry- or a bit more if fresh
crushed or minced garlic- about two heaping teaspoons
2 to 3 whole cloves ( i don't use sugar in my sauce)
salt and pepper to taste ( if you use chicken bullion above, you may want to omit the salt)
1/3 cup of vermouth

1- you need to dredge the chicken and fry it in a little vegetable oil, or else you lose alot of flavor in the dish. I add a package of dry chicken bullion to the flour for a bit more flavor. Also, the flour helps to keep the sauce nice and thick- which can get a bit runny because of the vegetables. Fry the chicken right in the dutch oven for a couple of minutes until it is brown , but not too long. It's going to cook in the oven. Remove from pot and put aside. Add sausages. Fry in dutch oven for about 3 to 4 minutes so the outside skins are browned.

2- add tomato sauce, paste, cut up vegetables, spices. You'll see there is NO oregano. My mother says, Oregano is only for Pizza, not for tomato sauce.

3- cover dutch oven and put in a 300 degree oven - About a half hour later, stir, and add the vermouth, and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. If the sauce looks too watery, you can take the cover off for the last 15 minutes, but you need to watch it doesn't dry up.


I serve this over pasta with lots of grated Romano and Parmesan cheese. Look for a shaped pasta that holds sauce better- cork screws versus Penne shape.