Chicken and Chickpea Pilaf

My sister Tami recommended this recipe to me (thanks girl, love ya!). She and my family loved it, so I decided to give it a try. It has a Moroccan flavor, a little spice from the cumin and saffron, and a little sweetness from the raisins. It's a great "one pot" meal, and there's a lot of leftovers!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Pinch saffron threads

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

1 onion, diced

2 garlic gloves, peeled and crushed

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 15 oz. can chickpeas (garbonzo beans)

2 TBSP vegetable oil

salt & pepper

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 1/4 cups long grain rice

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup slivered almonds (I used pine nuts)

3 TBSP chopped parsley (I used cilantro)

Directions:

Place saffron threads into a small bowl, add 2 TBSP boiling water, and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 TBSP oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the coriander and cumin. Cook the chicken, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the saucepan. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the rice. Return the chicken to the saucepan and stir in the stock, along with the saffron and its liquid, 1/2 tsp salt, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain chickpeas, then stir in along with the raisins and cook about 5 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with nuts and herbs.