Moroccan Chicken with Honey and Carrots

Method

1. Bring your chicken thighs out of the fridge about 10 mins before cooking to allow them to come to room temp. Season them on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and some pepper rub in well. Place a large, heavy-based pot on medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When nice and hot, add your chicken thighs in and brown them on each side until golden brown – about 5 mins on the first side and 4 on the other. Remove your chicken from the pot and set it aside to rest. When cool enough, gently remove the skin and discard.
2. Place your pot back on medium heat and add in your onion. Saute until they begin to soften and then brown – about 5 mins (If the base of the pot begins to brown too much, add a splash of water in). Add in 3 of your minced garlic cloves and your Ras el Hanout spice blend and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in your stock, honey, and lemon zest (or preserved lemon peel) – reserving 1tsp of zest for later. season with salt, scraping the base of the pot with your spoon to release all the delicious brown bits on the bottom. Add your browned and cooled chicken back into the pot along with its resting juices and cover. Reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer for 10 mins.Add the carrots and zucchini, cover, and simmer for a further 10 minutes – until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are still tender.
4. Stir in your olives, reserved lemon zest, remaining garlic, coriander, and 1tbsp of the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if needed. Serve with couscous and enjoy!