CHICKEN TAGINE WITH RHUBARB

Chicken Tagine With Rhubarb image

The idea was to make something resembling a classic Moroccan chicken tagine with green olives and preserved lemon, but to swap out the salty, tart preserved lemon for sweeter, tart poached rhubarb. My idea worked; the dish has been a great success at more than one dinner party, and it will be a standby as long as the rhubarb lasts.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories dinner, lunch, tagine, main course

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 4 to 4 1/2 pounds, cut into 10 pieces
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon sugar
12 to 16 pitted green olives (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons rhubarb syrup (see Poached Rhubarb recipe)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Poached rhubarb (see recipe)
Rice or couscous for serving

Steps:

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken pieces, in batches, on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a sheet pan.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the Dutch oven and add onion. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrot and leeks. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute. Season with salt; add turmeric and paprika and stir.
Return chicken to Dutch oven and add chicken broth, cinnamon stick, sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 35 minutes.
Add olives, if using; cover and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is fork tender. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons rhubarb syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Before serving, stir in parsley and poached rhubarb and heat through over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with rice or couscous.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 596, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 39 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 44 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 1136 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams