Chicken with Lemon & Olives

Happy Spring! Feeling like a spring chicken ..... dish? This North African dish is perfect for this time of year when you need flavors as bright and colorful as the daffodils blooming in the yard but the asparagus and other Spring veggies aren't quite ready for harvesting. The spices in this dish are bold. Ras al Hanout can be purchased through my favorite online source, skordo.com. And this combination of warm and pungent spices pair so well with the brininess of the olives and the freshness of the lemon - all creating a perfect balance and a new addition to your chicken repertoire. The Tubby Olive in Doylestown has a beautiful Lemon Olive Oil that is so fragrant, I might start wearing it as perfume! I recommend using it in this dish to enhance the depth of lemon flavor. The also carry a Persian Lime Olive Oil that would be equally as lovely. And of course their selection of olives makes it worth it alone to try the dish. You can keep the chicken breasts whole and just slice them into the portions you need. Or you can shred the chicken in the pot when it is finished cooking and the dish becomes more like a stew. Either way, it's delicious and I always serve it over Jasmine rice to soak up the sauce that is created in the cooking process. Enjoy!

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 large onion, sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 ½ Tablespoons (and up to 2 TB per your taste) Ras al Hanout spice blend

2 -3 cups chicken broth

1 small bunch/handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 small /bunch/handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1 cup green pitted olives

Olive oil for sautéing – preferably Lemon Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot (10” All Clad soup pot or 12” skillet with high sides), heat the oil, brown chicken on both sides on medium high heat. Reduce heat to low medium, add another tablespoon of oil and add garlic and spices to bloom for 1 minute. Add onions, salt, pepper and chicken broth and stir, increase heat to medium high. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Remove lid and stir, add sliced lemons, olives, parsley and cilantro. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, add more chicken broth if you want more sauce. Serve over jasmine or basmati rice or with Middle Eastern style bread to soak up sauce.