The star of our family dinner tonight is one of the latest entries we received in our Barrington Family Recipes contest. This one is called Michelle Van Loon’s Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives and our house is filled with the most delicious aromas after cooking this dish. With garlic, olives, raisins and cinnamon tucked around chicken breasts covered with lemons, ginger, cayenne and saffron and roasting away in our oven, I don’t think our home has ever smelled this good!
We’ve been collecting recipes for our contest since September and will be revealing more of them at 365Barrington.com in the coming days. Heinen’s grocery store in Barrington has given us seven generous gift cards to give away to seven winners in our contest which is still open for submissions. To enter, all you have to do is CLICK HERE or enter your favorite recipe for our collection using the form below.
We asked Michelle to tell us where she learned to make her Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives and what she loves about it and here’s what she had to say:
“This recipe has the rich, sunshine flavors of the Middle East. I found a variation of the recipe after a trip to Israel, and have served it during holidays and at other gatherings. People love it, and regularly ask for the recipe after tasting it.”
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Michelle’s Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives
Ingredients:
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and thighs
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed
2 small lemons, sliced thin
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
3/4 cup raisins
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 2″ cinnamon stick
pinch of sugar, cayenne
pinch of saffron (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro and Italian parsley, minced
1 additional lemon for garnish, optional
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place chicken parts, skin side up, in a large shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and garlic, then add olives and raisins in and around the chicken pieces. Tuck the cinnamon stick in the middle of the chicken, then add the water. Next, cover chicken with sliced lemons.
Mix together ginger, sugar, cayenne and saffron, and sprinkle atop the lemons. Drizzle with olive oil.
Slide the pan into the over and roast for 1-1/4 hours or until the chicken is golden brown, basting frequently and sliding the lemons around a bit each time you do.
(Important Detail: I cover the chicken lightly with foil for the first 45-50 minutes of roasting so it doesn’t brown too quickly.)
Remove from the oven and cover with foil, allowing to stand for 15 minutes. Remove chicken to large serving platter and discard lemons. Skim fat from the pan juices, then add half the cilantro and parley to the pan and return it to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick, add remaining cilantro and parsley, and pour over the chicken. Add remaining lemon, wedged, for garnish if desired.
Serve with Israeli (large) couscous or basmati rice.
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We’ll continue to reveal our recipes in the coming days, we’ll open it up to a vote right here at 365Barrington.com and we will announce our winners next week.
Here’s the Best Part….
The Heinen’s gift card prizes up for grabs include one $250 gift card, one $150 gift card, one $100 gift card and four $50 gift cards. Now that’ll come in handy as you’re shopping for this season’s holiday parties!
The more people who enter, the richer our collection will be and we’ll share all recipes here at 365Barrington.com for you to enjoy this season and beyond. Here’s where to enter:
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About the Photographer
When we started receiving our Barrington Family Recipes they sounded so delicious that I realized we had to have photographs for each dish and I immediately knew the perfect person to ask for help.
Take one look at Barrington photographer Sally Roeckell’s food and lifestyle blog at TableAndDish.com or visit her site’s Facebook page and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
From sliced vegetables to a scoop of ice cream to the most elaborate of dishes, Sally Roeckell’s gift for composing images elevates food to an art form with a stunning display highlighting simple ingredients, beautifully presented.
