Chicken Stew and Moroccan Chicken Stew

Moroccan chicken stew
ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled parsnips
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled turnips
• 1 cup 1/2-inch pieces peeled rutabaga
• 2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
• 1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
• Chopped fresh cilantro

preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pot and sauté until light golden but not cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to bowl.

Add onion to pot and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add curry powder, cumin and cinnamon stick and stir 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, broth and currants. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken with any accumulated juices to pot. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and flavors blend, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Per serving: calories, 271; total fat, 5 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 40 mg.

Chicken and root vegetable stew 

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 chicken thighs, well trimmed
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
• 2 large boiling potatoes, peeled, each cut into 12 pieces
• 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 2 large parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 2 medium rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium turnips, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch; transfer browned chicken to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add onions to pot and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add wine and 1/4 cup marjoram and simmer until wine evaporates, about 4 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Arrange vegetables over chicken. Pour chicken broth over. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer chicken and vegetables to large clean bowl. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Mix cream and cornstarch in medium bowl. Stir into liquid in pot. Simmer until thickened to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and vegetables to pot. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Bring stew to simmer, stirring gently. Add remaining 2 tablespoons marjoram and serve.