Un-Americanize Your Diet

Moroccan Chicken with Fennel

CSA Ingredients: fennel, mushrooms and red onion

This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe I found at:

 http://www.food.com/recipe/moroccan-spiced-chicken-and-fennel-184880#ixzz2056ooOO9

I love fennel!  I have often used it raw in salad but it is so good cooked.

Chicken and Fennel

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fennel leaves, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed but not neccessary)  

Couscous

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Combine spices with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Season chicken to coat both sides.
2. Preheat large nonstick skillet, add olive oil. Cook chicken breasts about 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken and keep warm.  Chicken might be slightly pink inside at this point. 
3. Add the fennel and onions to the pan and saute for 7 mnutes or so. The fennel should be tender but not mushy.
4. Boil two cups of water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add couscous to water and turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains before serving.
5. Add juice bring to a boil for about 1 minute.  Stir until it just begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Add chicken and chopped fennel, cover the pan with the lid cook 2 more minutes.  Chicken should be cooked until fully cooked but do not overcook so your chicken is moist.
7. Spoon coucous onto plate, with chicken and fennel and onions. Spoon portion of sauce on top.

In the photos I had added some mushrooms I had in my CSA box but their delicate flavor was lost with the rich spices so I would not do it again.

Kitchen tip: we don't drink much juice but it sometime's nice to have some OJ for cooking.  I take OJ and put into ice cube trays and freeze.  I keep a freezer bag full of the OJ cubes and when I want to use it to cook I can use just the amount I need.  I also do this with broth.

This recipe had 5 stars from everyone!!