- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 18 boneless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Moroccan "Passport" Chicken
FOM Newsletter Spring 1997
Well-known San Francisco chef Joyce Goldstein' book, Kitchen Conversations, is the source for the following recipe: Goldstein recommends serving the chicken with couscous and "Moroccan-spiced" vegetables. The book also includes those recipes. (Note: the butcher at your supermarket can easily bone the chicken thighs for you.)
Make a paste of the paprika, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, pepper, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. (You can puree the ingredients in a food processor.) Add the olive oil and rub this marinade all over the chicken thighs, making sure to get some of the marinade under the skin. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeping the skin on protects the chicken from toughening while broiling. If you remove the skin just before, be very careful not to ruin the chicken by letting it char and become hard, or remove the skin after cooking.
To serve, preheat the broiler or grill. Broil or grill the chicken for 5 to 8 minutes on each side. Serve with couscous and sautéed or stewed vegetables. Sprinkle with the chopped mint and cilantro. Serves 6.
Per serving (with skinless thighs): 41 gm protein, 2 gm carbohydrates, 22 gm fat, 147 mg of cholesterol, 5 gm saturated fat, 319 mg sodium, and 376 calories.
