First Day of Spring - Shakshuka Chicken and More Snow

The first day of Spring, so eagerly awaited by us Northerners who've been buried in snow and suffered below freezing temps this winter, came in like a lion.

While the snow piled up outside, I wanted to cook us a dish that would warm our stomachs and souls. Shakshuka is colorful and the heat in it really hits the spot!

Shakshuka, a popular Jerusalem dish usually served with eggs for breakfast, will be the base for my adaption for chicken with Shakshuka sauce. I've shared my sauce recipe with you on this blog before, but this time we're actually going to serve it with the chicken.

I'd been having a hankering for the spicy, succulent, red pepper- tomato sauce that I discovered last year in the pages of Ottolenghi's cookbook, Jerusalem. The ingredients, including the can of Harissa sauce(spicy pepper sauce) had been sitting in my pantry for a while and the red peppers were in the fridge, bottom drawer. All I needed was a can of diced tomatoes and I could enjoy this delicious meal for dinner on this snowy day.

Even though we've seen a lot of the white stuff and are tired of shoveling, I couldn't help but see the beauty of softly falling snowflakes.

Here's how to make your own dinner of Chicken poached in Shakshuka Sauce:

Shakshuka
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp harissa
2 tsp tomato paste
2 large red peppers diced into 1/4 inch
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
5 cups chopped tomatoes(or 1 32oz can of diced tomatoes)800gr.
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tspdried  oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
6 boneless. skinless chicken thighs

Heat the oil in a large, shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the harissa, tomato paste, peppers, garlic, cumin and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the peppers become soft.

Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining olive oil and the oregano. Simmer 5 more minutes. You should have a thick, chunky sauce. Now is the time to gently slip in your chicken thighs by making indentations in the sauce and placing the chicken inside. Ladle some sauce over the chicken, cover the saucepan, and place it in a 350F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Check for doneness. Your dinner is ready! Serves 4-6 people.

I would recommend this for a dinner party for people who like a little spice in their food. It's a tasty, colorful, dish with a kick to it that is sure to satisfy your guests.
Enjoy!

Maria