Moroccan Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2tbs olive oil 
• 4-6 skinless chicken breast fillets, diced 
• 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp ground coriander 
• ½ tsp turmeric 
• 2 small onions, sliced 
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped 
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced 
• 1 tbs harissa paste 
• 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes 
• 750ml boiling water 
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 2x 400g cartons chickpeas in water, rinsed 
• 100g fresh spinach leaves, washed

TO SERVE:

• Few sprigs fresh coriander, roughly chopped 
• natural yogurt

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in the Denby Cast Iron casserole and add the chicken pieces. Fry, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until sealed
2. Turn down the heat and add the ground cinnamon, coriander and turmeric along with the onions, garlic and chilli. Fry for a minute or two, ensuring the garlic doesn’t burn
3. Add the carrots, squash and harissa paste and stir to coat
4. Make up the stock with the boiling water in a large jug and pour over the chicken and vegetables until almost covered. You may need a little extra water. Season well with black pepper and pop in the whole cinnamon stick. Bring to a gentle simmer then reduce the heat to low and cover with the lid. Cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender but not quite.
5. Stir in the chickpeas and cook for a further 10 minutes until the carrots and squash are tender and the sauce is thickening
6. Once everything is cooked and the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick with a spoon and discard, then stir in the spinach. Replace the lid and allow to stand for a minute so the spinach is just wilting.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander and a spoonful of natural yogurt if desired. Serve with middle eastern salads such as tabbouleh or simple green vegetables.