Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when there are so many other ways to spend your precious time? Well, this may not go over well but I'll admit, I DO! The many hours in the kitchen on Thursday and Friday preparing food for Shabbos is my way of honoring Shabbos, and our guests and I wouldn't have it any other way!
On Friday night, by the time we get to the main course having already eaten a wide variety of salads and fish, challah,whole wheat pitas, well, no one has much room left. So I try to keep the main course simple yet delicious!
Cooking chicken on the stovetop is a foolproof way to insure that your meat will be juicy, and it's pretty hard to overcook this way as long as the flame is kept on very low. The only disadvantage I can think of is that it's possible to bake much larger quantities, with a large shallow pot I can fit 2 chickens but not much more.
Step 1: Slice garlic and place in the bottom of shallow pot.
Step 2: Place washed chicken pieces in the pot right side up. Either pour a mixture of about 2 tblsp. turmeric and 1/2 cup oil (olive or canola) over the chicken, or for a healthier though less authentic version, rub turmeric over the skins, using a touch of oil if necessary. DO NOT ADD WATER! With the top on the pot cook on a very very low flame for about 1 1/2 hours or until chicken looks nicely cooked. Baste with juices from the pot when possible. Note: Kosher chickens are very salty, and with this cooking method the chicken basically cooks in its own sauce, so do not add salt as it might already be on the salty side!
Step 3: Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly, now is the time to add the vegetable portion of the dish. Here I used sliced (and checked) fennel, but you can also use peas, peas and mushrooms, just mushrooms, or zucchini. Place the vegetables on top of the chicken, add a small amount of water to the pot (about 1/4") and bring to a boil. Turn down flame to low and cook until vegetables are tender but not overcooked!
My Moroccan neighbor in Jerusalem used to add a few yellow raisins to the pot for what she called a finger licking delicious result, and I like to add some parsley at the end to make the dish more appealing.
For authentic Moroccan cooking this chicken would be served together with white or yellow rice, but you can feel free to break from tradition and serve it with mashed potatoes, couscous, or even pasta! For serving family style, place the chicken pieces in the center of a platter and spoon vegetables around the perimeter of the platter.
The leftover chicken makes great sandwiches, don't worry if the guests are too full by the time the main course is served!
