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Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives and Cheesy Olive Bread Recipes

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives and Cheesy Olive Bread Recipes

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

Today’s blog post is all about olives. Olives from Spain to be exact. I just LOVE them. Although Olives from Spain are Spanish in origin, they work perfectly into all my recipes – even Moroccan Lemon Chicken. Olives from Spain are perfect for snacking, especially when paired with some cheese or bread. Put an antipasti platter in front of me that’s loaded up with olives, and I’m a happy girl. I’m always on the hunt for new recipes with olives or looking for ways to sneak a few olives into my family’s favorite dishes. Just a handful of olives adds a robust flavor, richness, and texture to a salad or meal.

Olives from Spain

You don’t have to feel guilty about eating olives either. They are rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Also, a good source of fiber and iron. I’ve read that the monounsaturated fat in olives helps reduce “bad” LDL cholestrorol levels and the risk of heart disease. However, all olives are not created equally. When buying olives, be sure to turn over that jar or tin and look for the Olives From Spain logo, to ensure you are getting the highest quality olives and taste the difference for yourself. Many thanks to Olives from Spain for sponsoring today’s recipes.

Now that I live out in the country, I sometimes miss having a variety of restaurants nearby. I have always enjoyed eating foods from different parts of the world. Missing out on this convenience isn’t all bad. Not having my favorite ethnic restaurants nearby has pushed me to try my hand at cooking some of my favorite restaurant recipes like this Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

For the longest time, I felt too intimidated to cook Moroccan food. Surely the intoxicating aromas and depth of flavors were too much for a novice home cook like myself. If you have every had such fears, I encourage you to step outside the box and try making these dishes yourself. As I have been, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
2 small plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
18 large pitted green Olives from Spain

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Place chicken breasts in hot oil and cook on all sides until slightly browned on surface. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

To the pan add onion, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring, until onion is cooked. Return chicken to pan and cover.

Squeeze the juice of a lemon, reserving lemon peels. Add lemon juice to pan. Remove the lemon peels and slice peel into strips and add to pan with chopped tomatoes, water, and olives. Cover the pan and bring contents to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes, until chicken is tender, occasionally lifting the lid to stir mixture and check that liquid available in pot is adequate to avoid burning.

When chicken is finished cooking, arrange contents on a platter. Serve immediately. I served this chicken with brown rice, a salad and cheesy olive bread. Couscous would also be a good side dish.

Recipe adapted from Diabetes Self Management.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

Mmmm.

Cheesy Olive Bread is the perfect thing to eat with this Moroccan chicken dish. The bread is great on it’s own, but even better when used to sop up the delicious lemon sauce. Yum!

This delicious and hearty Cheesy Olive Bread can stand on it’s own!

Cheesy Olive Bread

Some variation of this Cheesy Olive Bread recipe has been around as long as I can remember, but I think it’s Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) has made it most famous.

See Also
Roasted chickpeas

Cheesy Olive Bread

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread
6 ounces pimiento-stuffed green olives
6 ounces black olives
2 stalks green onions, chopped
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 pounds Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend, grated

Directions:
Roughly chop all of the olives. Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until well combined. Slice French bread lengthwise, and spread the mixture onto cut sides of the bread. You’ll want it to be thick. Bake at 325ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted, browning, gooey and delicious.

I really enjoyed having the Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives and the Cheesy Olive Bread together. One thing I can be sure of is that I’ll be having this meal again.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives and Cheesy Olive Bread

What’s your favorite recipe with olives?

About Olives from Spain:
Olives from SpainSpain has such a rich history that is linked to olives – with trees for table olives growing in the country since the 1st century. There is a wide range of varieties, types and forms of presentation. Spain is the leader in table olive production and exports, with the most modern industry in the world leading to the highest food safety and quality standards. Olives from Spain are a more versatile than olives from any other region – get creative, and find out why they can add life to any party. Be sure to look for the Olives From Spain logo, to ensure you are getting the highest quality olives and taste the difference for yourself.

Follow the #OlivesFromSpain hashtag for more delicious recipes! Stay connected with Olives from Spain on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

This month, Olives from Spain will head to Miami for the country’s premiere food festival. If you are lucky enough to attend the renowned South Beach Wine and Food Festival, be sure to stop by the Olives from Spain station to sample some tasty bites. The event is expecting approximately 18,000 attendees.

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Olives from Spain via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Olives from Spain or Momtrends.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives and Cheesy Olive Bread

Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large pan. Place chicken breasts in hot oil and cook on all sides until slightly browned on surface. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
  • To the pan add onion, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring, until onion is cooked. Return chicken to pan and cover.
  • Squeeze the juice of a lemon, reserving lemon peels. Add lemon juice to pan. Remove the lemon peels and slice peel into strips and add to pan with chopped tomatoes, water, and olives. Cover the pan and bring contents to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes, until chicken is tender, occasionally lifting the lid to stir mixture and check that liquid available in pot is adequate to avoid burning.
  • When chicken is finished cooking, arrange contents on a platter. Serve immediately. I served this chicken with brown rice, a salad and cheesy olive bread. Couscous would also be a good side dish.
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