Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Spicy Mango Chutney

From CIA Culinary Intelligence

Fresh lemon, chickpeas, and a dash of spice create the Moroccan flavors in this one-skillet meal. The chicken, combined with its seasonings, actually improves with time, so don’t worry about preparing it a day in advance if necessary.

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 45 minutes

1 lemon
8 chicken breast halves, boneless
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
2 bunches asparagus, white and green
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup Spicy Mango Chutney (recipe follows)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the asparagus. Cut the lemon in half. Juice one half and thinly slice the remaining half in rounds. Reserve separately.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and half of the curry powder. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a platter.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan, leaving enough to generously coat the pan, and return to the heat. Add the onion, the remaining curry powder, and 1/2 cup of the broth or water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring well to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan, along with the remaining 3/4 cup broth or water, and the reserved lemon slices. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, turning the chicken and stirring occasionally during cooking.
Meanwhile, trim the bottom 1 to 2 inches from the asparagus, and cook in the boiling salted water until just tender. Drain the asparagus and keep hot.
Stir the chickpeas and the mango chutney in with the chicken. Simmer until the chickpeas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the lemon slices. Stir in the reserved lemon juice to taste. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve the chicken with the chickpea-and-chutney mixture and the asparagus, garnished with chopped parsley . Pass additional chutney on the side.

Note: The chicken breast cut shown in the photograph is known to chefs as a supréme. The skin is left on and the first joint of the wing is left attached. Use a sharp knife to scrape away the meat from the wing bone.

Spicy Mango Chutney

Makes 1 3/4 cups

Preparation time: 20 minutes

2 cups chopped mango (about 2 medium)
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Combine the mangos and brown sugar in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Add the vinegar, raisins, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thickened and flavorful, about 15 minutes. Cool the chutney to room temperature. The chutney can be prepared in advance and stored in a clean covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.