Moroccan Chicken With Carrot Purée

Just to mix things up a bit, how about a shot of what your next chicken dish is gonna look like at the beginning of this here blog post? If you read through and follow the recipe, you ought to get something closely resembling the serving platter above. Nice, eh!

I've slipped comfortably into the routine of sending the Lone Ranger dinner suggestions (or outright demands), along with shopping lists and recipes prior to my Friday commute. However, I was craving a cheese soufflé a couple of weeks ago, but arrived to discover something with fewer eggs and a lot less cholesterol on the menu, so results have been spotty at best. But this dish pricked the LR's interest, and I'm oh so glad it did.

Moroccan Chicken With Carrot Purée - Saveur Magazine

6 boneless skin-on chicken breasts, pounded ¾" thick 16 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 cups chicken broth 2 lbs carrots, cut into ¼" rounds 1 large white onion, minced 1½ cups fresh orange juice 4 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 peeled oranges, segmented ¾ cup plus 2 tsp hot chili sauce 2 tsp sherry vinegar 4 oz red-leaf lettuce ¾ cup pitted oil-cured black olives, roughly chopped 2 shallots, thinly sliced

Put chicken into a dish, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a boil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots; cook until tender, 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain. Heat a half-cup of oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add onions; cook until soft, 4–5 minutes. Add the carrots, heat through for another 6–8 minutes. Purée the onions & carrots in a food processor, until smooth, with 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

Heat orange juice in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Reduce by half, 12–15 minutes. Whisk in butter; season with salt and pepper. Add orange segments; set sauce aside.

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken breasts, skin side down; cook until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a baking sheet. Brush with ¾ cup hot sauce. Bake until cooked, 6–8 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together remaining oil and hot sauce with sherry vinegar. Add greens, olives, and shallots; toss. To serve, divide carrot purée between 6 plates; top each with salad and a chicken breast. Spoon sauce over each.

Cultures across the globe know that when you unite sweet and heat together on the same plate you get flavors greater than the sum of their parts. OJ and chili sauce is one such combination. It didn't so much mask the flavor of the chicken as elevate it. And the purée was simple, sweet, and nutty from the sautéed onion. It complimented the orange sauce coolly. Another great dish. I'm already daydreaming about weekends to come!

Thanks for taking the time - Blog O. Food