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Chicken kdra with almonds
Djaj kdra bel louz: Fez's buttery saffron-onion chicken with chickpeas and blanched almonds
MoroccanKdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksskin removed
- 2 ¼ lb onionshalf grated, half thinly sliced, kept separate
- 2 tbsp smenmade from pasteurised butter, or ghee
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 pinch saffron threadscrumbled into 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups water
- 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeasdrained; skins rubbed off for the smoothest sauce
- 4 oz blanched almondssoaked in water for 2 hours
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, the grated half of 2 ¼ lb onions, 2 tbsp smen, 1 ⅜ oz butter, 1 pinch saffron threads, 1 tsp ground white pepper, ½ tsp ground ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp salt into a deep pot. Stir over a medium heat for 8 minutes until the onion has softened and the chicken is coated in gold.
8 minStep 2: Add 2 ½ cups water, cover and simmer over a low heat for 25 minutes.
Step 3: Add the sliced half of the onions and the drained 4 oz blanched almonds, cover again and simmer for 25 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the sliced onions are completely soft.
25 minStep 4: Add 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas and cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce reduces to a thick, creamy onion sauce and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part. The common mistake is stopping while the sauce is still thin and watery; keep reducing until it clings to a spoon.
15 minStep 5: Taste for salt and pepper, remove the cinnamon stick and serve hot, scattered with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, with plenty of bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken kdra with almonds take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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