Savoring stories: Tzimmes chicken
Do you have a tried-and-true dish that comes with an interesting origin story? If so, we want to hear from you!
Growing up, my Aunt Tessie made the most delicious tzimmes that forever remains a fond culinary memory. Using her recipe as a base, I drew on my love for Sephardic spices, and with the addition of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, developed this recipe for my family and friends.
Ingredients:
8 to 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds multicolor carrots, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1or 2 apples, diced, Granny Smith, Envy or similar
1 large onion, roughly chopped, or 8 ounces pearl onions
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 or 5 Medjool dates, seeded and chopped
4 tablespoons spice blend, see below
8 ounces chicken stock
Salt to taste
Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a paper towel.
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In a large bowl, add the chicken, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of spice blend.
Work into both sides of the chicken.
Cover and let marinate for 1 hour. Refrigerate or don’t.
Prep and combine vegetables and dates; add remaining 1 tablespoon of spice blend. Mix thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Place roasting pan on burners, on medium-high heat.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Working in batches, brown chicken, about 3 minutes per side. Pull out and set aside.
Add vegetables and dates to the hot roasting pan and cook until there’s some browning, 3-4 minutes, stirring as needed. Add chicken stock, mix thoroughly then place browned thighs skin side up on top of the vegetable mixture.
Place pan in the oven and roast until thermometer reads 165 F, 30-40 minutes, depending on oven.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve chicken over carrot mixture.
Spice blend:
1 tablespoon green cardamom pods
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 star anises
2 cinnamon sticks, coarsely crushed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 dried Persian limes (optional)
Toast spices in a pan over low-medium heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Let cool.
Add to spice grinder and pulse until ground.
Enjoy! PJC
Do you have a tried-and-true dish that comes with an interesting origin story? If so, we want to hear from you! Submit recipes along with their backstories to newsdesk@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org, and write “Recipe” in the subject line. Please include a photo of the dish. You may see your submission as part of our new column “Savoring Stories”!
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