Best Tunisian Chicken Recipes

TAJIN SIBNEKH (TUNISIAN CHICKEN AND EGGS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the potatoes in the hot oil until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Stir the chicken into the remaining oil, and cook until white on the outside, but still pink on the inside, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, and continue cooking until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the harissa, ras el hanout, water, tomato sauce, and butter. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the peas, Parmesan cheese, and fried potatoes. Stir in the chicken mixture a spoonful at a time, season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until the mixture is firm and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into 12 squares, and serve warm.

TUNISIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat a non-stick frying pan. Dry fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft.
• Add the chicken and garlic and cook briskly, turning the chicken regularly to seal on all sides.
• Add the spices with 2-3 tbs of broth and sprinkle the flour over. Mix well, 'cooking out' the flour for 1 minute.
• Gradually mix in the remaining broth. Add the oregano, tomatoes, orange peel and juice.
• Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve.

TUNISIAN ORANGE CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot. Add chicken pieces a few at a time, being careful not to crowd them. Cook on all sides until well browned. Transfer chicken to a platter. Repeat until all chicken is browned.
• Discard all but 2 T. drippings from Dutch oven. To hot drippings remaining in Dutch oven, add onion, celery, and garlic; saute over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, sugar, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper until blended.
• Add chopped tomato, then gradually stir in orange juice. Increase heat to high; bring mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Return chicken pieces to Dutch oven. Reduce heat to low; simmer covered until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes, turning chicken once.
• Add orange slices and olives to chicken. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, prepare couscous. In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water, butter and salt to boiling. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• With spoon, remove and discard any fat that has accumulated on the surface of the orange sauce. Uncover couscous and fluff with a fork. Transfer couscous to a large serving platter, making a well in the center.
• Transfer chicken onto couscous, arranging in a decorative way. Spoon sauce remaining in Dutch oven over the chicken pieces. Garnish with sprigs of crisp watercress and orange slices.

TUNISIAN BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash and pat chicken dry. Combine flour, salt and pepper on wax paper. Turn chicken into flour mixture, coat evenly. Shake off excess.
• Sauté chicken, a few pieces at a time, in oil in a large skillet. Remove the pieces to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish as they brown, arranging them in a single layer.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne to skillet. Sauté until onion is slightly softened.
• Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken.
• Arrange lemon slices on top. Cover. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with olives.
• Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

TAJINE MALSOUKA -- TUNISIAN CHICKEN 'TAGINE' PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• In a frying pan, fry the onion in a little of the vegetable oil for a few minutes until it is softened. Add the chicken & the water, cover then cook for 45 minutes in a medium heat or until the chicken is cooken through, turning the thighs from time to time.
• Preheat oven to 190c / 375f/ GM5.
• Discard the chicken skin, remove the meat from the bones & place the pieces in a bowl.
• Pour the saffron or ground nutmeg paste over the chicken, then stir in the grated cheese and 2-3 tbsp of water to make an 'unctous mixture'. Stir in the beaten eggs & season with the salt & pepper to taste.
• Generously oil an ovenproof pie or quiche dish about the same zie as the rounds of phyllo. Overlap 5 sheets so that at least 1/3 of the phyllo is allowed to hang over the sides of the dish, remembering to lightly brush each sheet with the vegetable oil. Place a final 6th piece of phyllo over the top of the others - this one should be central so that it reinforces the base a little.
• Pour in most of the chicken mixture, followed by a layer of sliced ricotta then a final layer of the chicken.
• Fold the overhanging phyllo pastry over the top so that is wrapped but not too tight. Stick the edges together using a pastry brush & the glaze. Place another sheet of phyllo on top, tucking the edges into the dish, followed by 4 more sheets of phyllo, being sure to brush them with the glaze as you go. Finish by brushing more g;ase on the top.
• Place the tagine on a low shelf in the oven for around 20-25 minutes. The pastry should be crisp & deep golden when the dish is ready.
• Serve hot, on a flat dish & cut into slices as you would a cake.

EASY SUN OVEN TUNISIAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Arrange chicken thighs in a roasting or baking pan in a single layer and rub with the harissa. Cover and transfer to the Sun Oven. Cook until the meat is fork tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove pan from the Sun Oven. Transfer the thighs to a cutting board and shred. Return the shredded chicken to the cooking liquid along with the beans. Season to taste with salt. Weather and time permitting, put the covered pan back in the Sun Oven until heated, about 2o minutes or gently reheat on the stove. Spoon over cooked couscous and serve with additional harissa.

TUNISIAN CHICKEN WINGS WITH ORANGES

Steps:

• Preheat grill or broiler to its hottest setting.
• Mix harissa and olive oil in a small bowl to make a paste. Add a little salt and stir.
• Brush wings with harissa mixture so they are well coated.
• Grill (or broil) the wings for 5 -8 minutes on each side, until cooked and a dark golden brown.
• While wings are cooking, dip the oranges in the icing sugar and grill them for a few minutes until they are slightly burnt but not black or charred.
• Serve the wings and oranges immediately. Top with cilantro if desired.

TUNISIAN-STYLE CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Coat a 9 x 13-inch roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine all the ingredients for the marinade (pepper through white wine) and mix thoroughly.
• Place 1/3 of the marinade in prepared roasting pan. Add the chicken on top of the marinade then cover with the remaining marinade mixture.
• Cover and allow to marinate for at least 60 minutes (all day in the refrigerator is better).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Uncover the pan and transfer to oven.
• Bake 45 minutes, turning occasionally to brown the chicken all over.
• Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving plate. Garnish with parsley lemon slices and green olives.
• Serve with hot, cooked rice or cooked couscous.

TUNISIAN CHICKEN WITH ONIONS, PEAS, AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy sauté pan. Add the chicken pieces, sautéing just to brown the skin on both sides. Remove the chicken pieces, and drain on paper towels.
• Stir the onions, garlic, and honey into the same pan. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are almost caramelized. This may take about 20 minutes.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side up, and sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon more pepper, the cinnamon, and the parsley, stirring to incorporate. Add the lemon juice and the tomatoes. Pour in chicken broth, enough just to cover the chicken, and stir in the tomato paste. Simmer the chicken, covered, for about 40 minutes, then stir in the peas. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the peas are done. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve with rice or wheat berries (see page 266).

TUNISIAN CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a little olive oil fry the sliced onion and chopped garlic for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add tomatoe puree, spices and harissa and coat the onions in the spicey mixture and add the chicken pieces and stir to cover chicken and cook for a further two minutes beiung careful not too burn the spice mixture. Add a little water if neccessary and mix again.
• Add the passata, chicken stock cube, potato and more water and mix well again.
• Place the dried couscous into a large bowl and sprinkle with a tablespoon of water and work through the couscous - this is absored easily. You are making sure you seperate the couscous grains. Then do the same with a dessetspoon of good olive oil - making sure you work it through the couscous with your fingers, seperating the grains and getting rid of any clumps. You can do this with a fork if you wish. Place the grains into the colander or steamer section that sits on top of the cooking saucapan tightly.
• Add the rest of the water to the stew so all the ingreditants are well covered - it will look very wet but trust me. Add the drained chickpea and peas (carrot if you fancy it) and optional whole green chillies, and give the pan a good stir so its all evenly distributed throughout the pan. and allow to simmer.
• Clamp the colander/steamer with the couscous on top of the saucepan so the couscous steams as the stew cooks. Making sure the heat isnt too high.
• After 15 minutes lift the steamer off and stir the stew making sure nothing is caught on the bottom of the pan - add more water if neccessary. Fork through the couscous grains so its not clumping and place back on the stove for a further 30 mins. You can repeat as above checking when the chicken is ready. Once the meats cooked through turn off the heat and remove the couscous emptying into a very large bowl. Fluff through with a fork. Then rest the now empty colander on top of the couscous and drain the lovely tomato rich stews cooking liquid all over the steamed couscous until the couscous is covered. Place the now drained chicken and veg back over the saucepan and using a metal spoon fold the couscous into the cooking liquid and then leave to stand for 5 minutes at which point all the cooking liquid will have been absorbed. If its looking a little dry add some more of the liquid and stir it through. The couscous' consistancy shouldnt be sloppy or wet but moist and fluffy. To Serve place couscous in a large serving dish and smooth down and then add the chicken and vegetables on top.

TUNISIAN BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash and pat chicken dry. Combine flour, salt and pepper on wax paper. Turn chicken into flour mixture, coat evenly. Shake off excess. Saute chicken, a few pieces at a time, in oil in a large skillet. Remove the pieces to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish as they brown, arranging them in a single layer. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne to skillet. Saute until onion is slightly softened. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken. Arrange lemon slices on top. Cover. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with olives. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

TUNISIAN CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a blender. Add the bell pepper, Peppadews and brine, raisins, pomegranate molasses, peanuts and cayenne to the blender and puree until smooth. Season the marinade with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, rub the marinade into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Light a grill. Thread the chicken onto the skewers and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot. Make Ahead The marinade can be refrigerated overnight.