a date with chicken

I love dates. In sweet dessert dishes. Stuffed and then wrapped in bacon! And in savory main dishes like this one, inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe.

Remember when Kim and I harvested blooming cilantro from Sandy’s garden?  I hung my cilantro to dry and finally collected the coriander seeds. I am using the all of seeds harvested (all 1  1/2 teaspoons of it!)  in this one recipe.

Braised Chicken with Dates

12 chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 large leek, washed well and diced
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high.

Cook chicken, in batches, skin side down, until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Once all chicken is cooked, drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.

Add onions and leeks to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh ginger, paprika, and ground coriander; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken skin from the thighs, if desired. Arrange chicken evenly over the onion mixture, add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through 40 to 45 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a serving dish and increase heat to high. Boil cooking liquid until reduced by half,  about 15 minutes. Stir in dates and parsley; taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

Serves 6