Just a quick post today, but I wanted to share this delicious recipe that we enjoyed for dinner tonight. And it’s so easy!

Fruited Moroccan Chicken and Chickpeas

Prep: 10 min.Cook: 25 min.Servings: 4+

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, (approx. one can drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 liter chicken broth (approx. 2 cups) – can use water and chicken bouillon
• 3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered OR raisins OR half of each
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

My favorite way to make this is in the crockpot. Put the chicken breasts (they can be frozen solid!) on the bottom and then everything else in any order you want to. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 or more. The chicken will break apart easily. Remove the cinnamon sticks, and serve over couscous, millet, or brown rice.

You can also cook this in the oven as is or reduce the amount of broth to a cup for more of a baked/chicken breast texture (as opposed to the thick gravy-ish texture from the crockpot that we prefer.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Arrange the chicken in the bottom of a 9×13 pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine chickpeas, broth, apricots, and cinnamon sticks. Cover and bake 25 minutes or until chicken is done (internal temp 170 degrees F). Remove cinnamon stick from casserole, and serve with couscous, millet, or brown rice. This is how I first made this dish, but I rarely make it this way anymore as I don’t like to heat up the house by using the oven, I’m always nervous about whether the chicken is done, and we prefer the gravy-ish texture.

A third way I make this, mostly when I haven’t planned ahead, is in a skillet on the stove. I cut the chicken breasts into chunks and cook them thoroughly with the salt and pepper. Then I add all the other ingredients and simmer until it’s ready, maybe 15 minutes or so. It’s really nice this way too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!