RECIPE

Chicken Breasts with Charmoula

  • Contributed by Quick From Scratch Herbs & Spices
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4

Charmoula, the intense Moroccan spice sauce, tastes wonderful with fish as well as chicken. Keep an eye on the spices as they toast in the dry pan so that they don't burn.

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • FAST

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
    1. 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon paprika
    2. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    3. 2 cloves garlic, smashed
    4. 1/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, plus 8 sprigs (optional) for garnish
    5. 1/3 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
    6. 7 tablespoons olive oil
    7. Grated zest of half an orange
    8. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    9. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
    10. 3/4 teaspoon salt
    11. Fresh-ground black pepper
    12. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
    13. 2 plum tomatoes, diced (optional)

Directions

  1. In a small frying pan, toast the 1 tablespoon paprika with the cumin over low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Put in a blender and puree with the garlic, cilantro leaves, parsley, 6 tablespoons of the oil, the orange zest, lemon juice, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Leave in the blender.
  2. Put 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick frying pan over moderate heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Brown 5 minutes. Turn; cook until just done, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Blend the sauce to re-emulsify; serve over the chicken. Sprinkle with the tomatoes and top with the cilantro sprigs.