Exotic and luxurious, dates add softness and texture to this delicious chicken recipe
Ingredients
Serves 4
100g pitted dates
2 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken thighs, skin on
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp root ginger, grated
1 tbsp paprika
400g tin tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
250ml vegetable stock
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
crusty bread, to serve
Method
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the chicken thighs. Sprinkle with the cumin, then fry, turning occasionally, for 6-7 mins until browned. Remove the chicken with tongs and place on a plate. Add the onion and garlic to the saucepan and sauté for 8-10 mins. In the meantime, place half of the dates in a food processor and blend until a puree.
Add the pureed dates and whole dates, ginger, paprika, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, vegetable stock and lemon zest and juice to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, then place the chicken thighs back in the pan. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the coriander and serve with crusty bread.
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Liz O’Keefe is a professional chef, trained journalist, and the home economist at LandScape magazine. She has written several cookbooks, including the Gourmand award-winning The Mushroom Cookbook. A respected voice in the UK food scene, she regularly judges prestigious food awards and is a member of The Guild of Food Writers. Follow her on Instagram @ecjokeefe