Mahmudiye: Chicken with Apricots and Almonds

JUMP TO RECIPE
Course Main Course
Cuisine Turkish
Keywords Gluten Free, Spices
Difficulty Easy
Servings 4 people
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
This is an old Ottoman dish that incorporates the Middle Eastern and Turkish tradition of combining dried fruits with meats in savory dishes. The assortment of spices, dried fruit, and nuts creates an exquisite aroma and mouth-watering flavor. The little bit of cinnamon makes this the perfect dish for a cool fall evening. Serve with a long grain basmati rice and a simple green salad with a sharp dressing.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 613kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup stone dried apricots
  • 1 Tbsp fresh or dried currants
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 yellow onion finely diced
  • 5 oz shallots peeled and left whole
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 3/4 cups hot chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup long grain basmati rice

Instructions

  • Soak the apricots and currants in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and slice each apricot into 3 pieces.
  • Melt the butter in a large pan with a lid over medium heat and add the chopped onion and whole shallots. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring. Allow to soften and slightly brown. Mix in the salt.
  • Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces. Add to the pan. Once the chicken has taken on a golden color all over, add the cinnamon, lemon juice, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the hot stock and dried fruit. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Check to see if the chicken is tender. If there is still a lot of liquid, reduce with the lid off. Start cooking the rice separately according to the package instructions, but remove from heat 3 minutes before finished.
  • Toast the almonds gently in a dry skillet until just golden.
  • Add the rice, without its water, to the chicken pot and cook for another 3 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked. Serve scattered with the toasted almonds.

Nutrition

Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 1181mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About the author

Hi! Welcome to The Dynamic Dish! I'm Erin - a geophysicist who is passionate about food and culinary science. Here you will find a collection of my favorite recipes, both collected and original, as well as educational posts and reviews on ingredients and cooking techniques. Please check out the welcome post for more information about the site!