Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Rice

I made up this tajine recipe on a complete whim, suprisingly enough, it came out delicious, full of flavor; and it soon became one of my favorites. It can be served with bread, rice, or plain couscous.
And on a side note, I will be featuring a variety of Moroccan tajine recipes, whether with chicken, lamb, or beef. So stay tuned.

What You'll Need:

2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken thighs.
1 big yellow onion cut lenghtwise into 1/2 inch strips
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups beef or chicken broth
3/4 cup green olives cut in half
3/4 cup golden raisins
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tsp cumin
3 cinnamon sticks
1/3 cup cut preserved lemons or juice of 1 lemon.
2 tsp saffron powder (or large pinch of saffron threads)
Salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

1. Sprinkle the chicken, generously, with salt, pepper, and cumin.
2. Heat oil in a tajine or heavy bottom skillet/saucepan. Brown the chicken on both sides for 5-6 min over medium heat.
3. Stir in the onions, garlic, saffron, cinnamon sticks, lemon, olives, raisins, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour in enough broth just to cover the chicken.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 30-45 min.
5. Serve immediately. If served with couscous, you can garnish with toasted almonds and fresh mint.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Rice