Recipe #6 - Tunisian Chicken with Honey

Ok, time for less bitching, more cooking! I've seen several version of this recipe, mostly using a whole chicken which I didn't happen to have on hand. This one uses breasts instead and is very tasty. I've also seen it called "North African Chicken" and just plain "Chicken with Honey".

Chicken with Honey

6 boneless chicken breasts
2 T oil
2 onions, small dice
1 cup slivered almonds, ground or crushed
2 teaspoons butter
salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2t crushed black pepper
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 lemon juiced & zested
1 t fresh basil, minced
1/2 c honey
2 T cornstarch

In pan, heat butter and oil, brown chicken, season with salt & pepper, remove to oven proof casserole dish. In remaining oil, sweat onion and garlic until clear, add almonds, basil, pepper, and honey, cook stirring until mixture is well blended. Combine room temperature broth with cornstarch and add to pan; cook, stirring, over high heat until sauce thickens. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and pinch of lemon zest. Pour sauce over chicken, bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

I found it took less time to cook, about 45 min. I also found the sauce a bit bland for a North African dish so I added a 1/2 t each of ground cumin, coriander, paprika and chili paste. I served it with steamed veg and cous cous cooked in chicken stock with lemon juice, remaining lemon zest and 1 t minced garlic. Be sure to serve with the sauce. Also, the left over cous cous and sauce was great for breakfast with an egg cooked in. Mmm mmm!