This recipe for Mediterranean Chicken imparts all the exotic spices and flavors of the traditional recipe in half the time. A rotisserie chicken seasoned with lemon pepper is perfect for this dish.
I love using rotisserie chickens in my recipes when I’m pressed for time. Pre-cooked chickens are my secret supermarket weapon to ward off meal-time mayhem. Rotisserie chickens are reasonably priced, convenient; come seasoned in a variety of ways, and can be transformed into a multitude of quick and easy main dish meals. Best of all, if you purchase a plain, roasted chicken, you can use the bones to make a rich, homemade chicken stock or enhance the flavors of pre-packaged stocks or broths, so nothing goes to waste.
Most rotisserie chickens are large enough to serve at least 4 people as a main course. Or, you can pull the meat from the bones and use it in recipes that call for pre-cooked chicken. Shredded chicken can be used in recipes from salads, sandwiches and soups to enchiladas or chicken pot pies.
Using a pre-cooked chicken gives you the opportunity to explore new and unusual recipes that would ordinarily take a lot of time to prepare. This recipe for Mediterranean Chicken imparts all the exotic spices and flavors of the traditional recipe in half the time. A rotisserie chicken seasoned with lemon pepper is perfect for this dish.
The flavors used in this recipe are reminiscent of an exotic Moroccan tagine. A tagine is a type of heavy clay pot with a domed lid, and the dish that is cooked in it. Tagines are typically found in the North African cuisines of Morocco. Most Moroccan tagines combine lamb, chicken or beef with a variety of ingredients and seasonings including citrus fruits, nuts, honey and pungent spices.
This recipe blends spicy salsa and curry powder and adds a hint of sweetness by incorporating honey and raisins with spectacular results. Toasting the curry powder in the oil first gives the dish an authentic taste and brings out the flavors of the spice. Serve with hot cooked couscous or rice to make the most of the savory sauce that envelops the chicken.
Mediterranean Chicken
4 servings
1 tablespoon Newman’s Own Organic Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 cups Newman’s Own All Natural Chunky Salsa, medium
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Raisins
1/4 cup Best Of All Organic Almonds, chopped
1/4 cup YS Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey
1/2 teaspoon Redmond’s RealSalt Nature’s First Sea Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 deli rotisserie chicken (2 to 2 1/2 lb), lemon pepper flavored or plain, cut into 6 to 8 pieces, skin removed if desired
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in curry powder. Cook over medium heat 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in the salsa, olives, raisins, almonds, and the honey. Stir well to combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken; turn to coat.
Cover; cook over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes, turning chicken occasionally, until sauce is bubbly and chicken is thoroughly heated. Serve over Bob’s Red Mill Golden Couscous.
DIVA DISH OF THE DAY: Give it up, girls! What sneaky supermarket time-saving tricks do you use to create a fabulous meal?
The Kitchen Diva is Angela Shelf Medearis, a regular guest chef on “The Dr. Oz Show” and “The Today Show.” She is the author of many cookbooks, including, “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” She writes “The Kitchen Diva” blog for Vitacost.com on a weekly basis.