Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew is a North African style stew inspired by the cuisine of Libya and other surrounding countries north of the Sahara desert.
Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
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Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew is my recipe of the day in a combined blogging group event for both Sunday Funday and Eat the World. We group together weekly for Sunday Funday to post recipes on a common topic. Eat the World involves the group traversing the globe, posting recipes from the selected country that month.
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This month we are sharing recipes from Libya for both groups as a combined event.
The food of Libya has common traits from all of Berbere cuisine of western Africa, North Africa. And also the Mediterranean insofar as being similar to the food of places like Malta.
A lot of lamb and halal meats are eaten, as well as a ton of couscous. Carrots and Olives are also beloved. As well as spice pastes with chillis, such as pilpelchuma and harissa.
I have made something with chicken instead of lamb or things like smaller birds used in Moroccan cuisine. Chicken is eaten there, and it is also a good global choice. As chicken is common everywhere and also relatively economical.
Couscous
I have used the largest of the three types of couscous in this. That is the Lebanese type, which I believe to be most common in Maghreb cooking.
Israeli couscous is slightly smaller and then there is the regular small type. It won’t matter that much which you use except for the cooking method. So use whichever you prefer and refer to the package for directions. You really don’t want to overcook the small couscous.
Eat the World
Check out all the wonderful Libyan dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Libyan Cheese Dip
Sneha’s Recipe: Tajin Sfinari bil Zaytun/ Libyan Lamb Casserole with Carrots and Green Olives
Palatable Pastime: Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Macroona Imbakbaka (Libyan Minestrone)
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Mbakbaka (Spicy Libyan Pasta)
Kitchen Frau: Kufta bin Batinjal (Eggplant Kofta in Tomato Sauce
Pandemonium Noshery: Sharba Libiya – Libyan Mint and Lamb Soup
Sunday Funday
- Ejja – Libyan Frittata from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Libyan Harissa Paste from Cook with Renu
- Libyan Lamb Stew with White Beans and Spinach from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Macroona Imbakbaka (Libyan Minestrone) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew from Palatable Pastime
- Mbakbaka (Spicy Libyan Pasta) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Libyan Cheese Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Pilpelchuma – Libyan Chili Paste from Food Lust People Love
- Sharba Libiya – Libyan Mint and Lamb Soup from Pandemonium Noshery
- Tajin Sfinari bil Zaytun/ Libyan Lamb Casserole with Carrots and Green Olives from Sneha’s Recipe
Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew
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Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Maghreb Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
Stew:
- 2-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh hot green peppers
- 1/2 red bell pepper. chopped
- 1 Japanese eggplant sliced into coins
- 1 yellow zucchini chopped (crookneck)
- 1 green zucchini chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Baharat spice or Libyan spice
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup pitted olives
- 1 tablespoon hot red chilli paste or harissa
Couscous:
- 1-1/2 cups uncooked large Lebanese couscous
- 2 tablespoons butter
- pinch salt
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
Instructions
Stew:
- Season chicken pieces in salt and pepper then brown in a large deep skillet. Set chicken aside.
- Add onion, carrots, bay leaves and green chillies to the pan, and saute until onion softens, adding a little more oil if needed.
- Stir in the bell pepper, eggplant, both types of zucchini, turmeric, baharat spice, tomato paste, water, olives and chilli paste, stirring well.
- Top stew with browned chicken pieces.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Couscous:
- Brown couscous in butter then turn out into a bowl.
- Add the water and salt to the pan and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the browned couscous, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest ten minutes with the lid on the pan.
- Drain any water if there is any, I did not but just in case.
Serving:
- Serve stew with chicken pieces and couscous, garnished with parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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This looks so hearty & delicious! Love the addition of couscous
Loving the big chunks of vegetables in that stew.
That sauce looks positively lucious! I definitely need a bowl!
This stew looks so delicious! I have never tried the large couscous in your photo. I am keen to find it and try it.
That sauce looks so rich and full of flavor!
That stew looks so warm and delicious!