Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken

• servings: 8 servings
• total time: 2 hours

Ingredients

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, sliced

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 preserved lemon, roughly chopped (seeds discarded)

1/4 cup pitted prunes, halved

1/4 cup dried apricots, halved

1/2 cup drained jarred small pimiento-stuffed olives, plus 1 tablespoon brine

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for topping

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Cooked couscous, for serving

Harissa, for serving

Directions

Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Set an Instant Pot to sauté on high. When the pot registers hot, add the vegetable oil. Working in two batches, add the chicken skin-side down and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, paprika, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger and cayenne to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables, scraping up the bottom of the pot. Stir in the cinnamon stick, preserved lemon, prunes and apricots, then turn off the pot.

Add 2/3 cup water and the olive brine to the pot and stir well, scraping up the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pot in a single layer. Put on and lock the lid; make sure the steam valve is in the sealing position. Set the pot to pressure-cook on high for 8 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the steam valve to the venting position to manually release the remaining pressure. Turn off the pot and remove the lid.

Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the liquid in the pot; discard the cinnamon stick. Stir the olives, cilantro, parsley and vinegar into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken and sauce over couscous; top with more parsley and serve with harissa.

Notes

Worked fine with chicken breasts, but think I prefer the chicken thighs.

Preserved lemon is strong- chip finer and only use half a lemon

Just fine served over rice

Want to try with black olives

Loved the apricots, could add more of those

Nutrition

• Calories: 399
• Total Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 117mg
• Sodium: 677mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 22g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Total Sugars: 7g
• Protein: 22g