Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Cinnamon

Okay friends this recipe is going to be a bit polarizing…even I wasn't 100% sure about it.   I am not a huge fan of cinnamon in savory dishes (love it in sweet dishes), but thought to myself: chicken, good, dates, good, olives, gooooood!  The next time I make it I will cut out the cinnamon stick, but those are just my taste buds so feel free to keep it in.   I made this recipe a few weeks ago on a Sunday for the season premiere of The Good Wife.  If you have not checked out this show, it is a MUST see and it is set in Chicago – what what!!  I was also missing my good friend Katherine who used to live in my building and was my Good Wife watching and cooking buddy.  Sadly for me and happily for her, she moved back to Cincinnati to get married. 

                                      

Note: I would cut this recipe in half as it is a lot of food!

Ingredients

12 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons butter, divided $

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided $

4 cups sliced onion

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

18 pitted manzanilla (or green) olives, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth $

1/2 cup whole pitted dates, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 6 chicken thighs to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 6 chicken thighs.

2. Add onion and ginger to pan; sauté 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add olives; sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and the next 4 ingredients (through cinnamon stick); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 12 minutes. Stir in dates; simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in juice, and garnish with basil.

Recipe Source: Cooking Light