Chicken and Dates

This is a very unusual paring of chicken, sweet dates and salty olives but it is a winner at our house.  The E-man loves olives so much that he insists on carrying them around when we buy them at the grocery store.  Not kidding, he would rather visit the olive bar at the deli than check out the candy bars at the till.  Weird but awesome at the same time.  If your family doesn't like olives, this recipe is good without them too!

Chicken and Dates

Ingredients:

▪ 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

▪ 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

▪ 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

▪ 1 tsp paprika

▪ 1 tsp ground cumin

▪ 1 tsp ground tumeric

▪ 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

▪ Salt and cracked black pepper

▪ 1/2 finely sliced lemon

▪ 2 onions, finely chopped

▪ 1 cup of chicken stock

▪ ½ cup green olives

▪ 1 cup  fresh dates, halved and pitted

▪ 1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as mint or parsley (for garnish)

**  Note:  I use the rest of the carton of chicken stock to make my couscous!

Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with 3 tbsp of oil. Combine garlic, paprika, cumin, tumeric and ginger and sprinkle over chicken. Season with salt and pepper and turn chicken to coat. Add lemon slices, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In large skillet, heat remaining olive oil and sear chicken pieces on all sides.  Remove chicken to plate.  Add onions to skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Transfer onions and 1 cuo of chicken stock to a large casserole dish.. Place chicken on top of onions, turn to coat, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Add olives and dates and bake a further 10-15 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Serve chicken with juices, olives and dates spooned over and top with chopped fresh herbs.  Serve with couscous or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients are standing by.

Chicken marinating with spices and lemon.

Ready to eat.  Just add couscous or mashed potatoes.

T-man couldn't keep his eyes open.  It was a long day full of playschool and playing in the snow.  We let him sleep for a few minutes and then he managed to finish all of his chicken and 4 bites of couscous.  Four bites because he is four!

E-man gobbled up every bite so that he could have MORE OLIVES PLEASE! 

Reegs is still mastering the skill of utensils.  She no longer wants any help and always says loudly "ME DO".  Meals are a very messy situation at our house right now.  She did manage to eat quite a bit, alternating between spoon and fingers.

Another successful meal at our house!

Love,
Twin B
xoxoxoxoxo