It’s been years since I have made this, but after spending 5 1/2 days without electricity during one of the biggest ice storms Nashville has ever seen… I needed comfort. I got a sudden craving for the warm spices, the tangy lemons, the briny olives, plus the smell of it cooking slowly for hours on end.

This can be adapted for stovetop in a Dutch oven and can be done in roughly an hour. But I wanted low and slow and cooked it for six hours on low in my Crockpot. Now don’t be scared, it’s a lot of ingredients! But you won’t regret it one bit once you have a taste.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large Spanish onion, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons canola, grapeseed or olive oil (not a heavy olive oil)
• 1 to 2 preserved lemons, depending on size
• 8 chicken thighs, with bone and skin
• Stems from the parsley and cilantro, tied with twine
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron or 1/4 teaspoon powdered turmeric and 4 strands saffron
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup pitted green Moroccan or Greek olives
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, about 1/4 cup chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, about 1/4 cup chopped

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, mix together all the spices, except the saffron, 1/2 cup grated onion, and the oil.

Rinse the preserved lemons and remove the pulp. RESERVE the lemon peel for later use.

Add the lemon pulp to the mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Mix everything together and place in a large plastic bag to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (Twenty-four hours really gives the chicken the best flavor.)

READY TO COOK?

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, and place the marinated chicken thighs skin down into the pan. Meanwhile, add the remaining onion, drained chickpeas, olives, and cashews to the crockpot. Remove when skin is a golden brown and nestle into the crockpot. Mix the saffron with the water until dissolved and pour into the frying pan to deglaze it and then add to the crockpot (you want all those yummy bits!).

Lastly, slice the remaining preserved lemon peels and scatter throughout the crockpot, and then cut the stems from a bunch of parsley and a bunch of cilantro and bundle with cooking string. Nestle into the crockpot (see photo below). This will make them easier to remove later. Save the leaves for garnishing later.

Cover and set to low for 5-6 hours, or until the thighs are tender. Then remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. You’ll want to remove the skin at this point; it’s not pretty, and it will be rubbery, so it is not needed. *Do not remove before cooking, leaving the skin on helps keep the chicken moist and tender!

While the thighs rest, turn the crockpot to high to reduce the sauce a bit. Once done, serve the chicken with couscous or basmati rice and spoon the sauce over it. Be sure you get preserved lemon, olives, and cashews on each plate! Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley leaves.

THE PERFECT BITE

Obviously, the perfect bite would be a little of everything! I use a spoon by the way, this is a very scoopable dish! Start with couscous, add chicken and top with an olive, lemon strip and cashew. Enjoy!

THE PERFECT PAIRING(s)

• Rosé (Best Overall): A chilled dry Rosé, particularly a pale “gris de gris” style, offers high acidity that cuts through the rich, savory, and sweet components of a chicken tajine.
• Red Wine: Choose light-to-medium-bodied reds to avoid overpowering the chicken. A young, peppery Northern Rhône Syrah or a fruity Grenache/GSM blend works well, as the red fruit notes pair with the spices like cinnamon and cumin.

THE PERFECT HEALTH

Moroccan chicken tajine is a nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich, and anti-inflammatory dish that promotes heart health, muscle maintenance, and digestive function. Slow-cooked, this meal combines lean protein with fiber-rich vegetables and therapeutic spices like turmeric and ginger to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and support gut health. 

I love this recipe. Not only is it delicious, but it only takes about 5 minutes to assemble and 35 minutes to bake. It is definitely a crowd pleaser! Pro Tip: Let it completely cool before covering it, or the crust will become soggy. And nobody wants that…

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans (21-oz ) of cherry pie filling (making sure it says ‘filling’ and not just cherries)
• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• 1 stick of salted butter

I used a 9×11″ baking dish (this is an old favorite I found on Etsy, enamel on steel and it cleans up like a dream!). It’s a little smaller than the standard 9×12 and it worked perfectly. But use whatever you have! I do recommend something in this shape and not like a 4-inch deep round casserole dish – you want more surface for the yummy cobbler crust!

READY TO COOK?

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Keep your butter refrigerated right up until you’re ready to slice it. Pour the 2 cans of cherry pie filling evenly into the dish (see above photo). Then evenly cover that with the dry cake mix,- – yes DRY! Do not mix it with anything. Then thinly slice the butter into pats and place on top of the cake mix (see below).

Set the baking dish on a larger cookie sheet (in case you get bubbling over) and place on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly brown (see photo below). Serve warm. REMINDER: Let it completely cool before covering (if covered too soon the crust will get soggy).

THE PERFECT BITE & THE PERFECT PAIRING

Of course, the perfect bite would include some vanilla ice cream set on top of your serving while the cobbler is still warm.

THE PERFECT HEALTH

Cherry cobbler, despite being a dessert, offers some health benefits due to its main ingredient, cherries. Cherries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which can contribute to heart health, reduce inflammation, and potentially improve sleep. However, it’s important to consider that the overall health impact of cherry cobbler depends on the recipe and portion sizes, as added sugars and refined flours can negate some of the positive effects.

I love a bowl. And this is super easy, especially since it’s made primarily of leftovers! The chicken Tinga is a recipe I have made often thanks to Valerie Bertinelli and her Food Network cooking show. She makes everything look so easy and this one really is! I’ll post her recipe as I made it below but you can also click the link above and see her full chicken Tinga taco recipe, including toppings.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN TINGA

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or any high smoke point oil)

1 small yellow onion, chopped (I used sweet onion)

2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped (look for these in re-sealable jars now!)

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tablespoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles 

1 cup chicken stock 

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 

BOWL BUDDIES

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and heated with cumin, cayenne, and homemade pico de gallo all to taste

1 cup fire roasted corn, thawed to room temp (I used Trader Joe’s frozen)

1 quarter of a head of iceberg lettuce, shredded or chopped

1 half of an avocado, sliced

1 handful of pickled red onions (or to taste)

1 handful of crumbled cotija cheese (or to preference)

READY TO COOK?

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chipotles, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook until they begin to simmer, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce into a heat-safe blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan over medium heat and add the chicken, stirring to incorporate the chicken into the sauce. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Either let the chicken cool a bit if using for the bowl right away, or reheat if using leftovers because Valerie’s Chicken Tinga Tacos looked so good you had to make those first and now you’re using leftovers. Which was the case for me. Either way, you want the chicken warmed but not piping hot as it will wilt the lettuce.

First layer is your shredded lettuce. I used iceberg because I wanted crunch. But you do you. Why do people give iceberg such a bad rap? They say it’s mostly water. Well, last time I checked water was good for you!

But I digress, layer your crunchy water lettuce on the bottom, then I like to put the beans in one third, then the corn in another and the chicken in the last third (see photo). Then in the center top with slices of avocado and picked red onion, and then sprinkle the whole thing generously with the crumbled cotija cheese. I mean – you can just throw it all in the bowl at once and have a party. No need for such precision. It will taste just as good. But I like my food to look styled before I eat it. I probably watch too much Food Network.

THE PERFECT BITE

You know me, I’m a fork-stacker. And this is the perfect dish for that. Just get in there and get a little of everything. Guaranteed to be the perfect bite. I also love that this dish has the perfect mix of hot and cold. Cold, crisp lettuce and the sweet crunchy, corn contrasted with the warm, spicy chicken and tangy beans is utterly delightful.

THE PERFECT PAIRING

I know most would say that an ice cold beer would pair best with a chipotle heavy dish… but if you’re like me and prefer wine over beer, I suggest a chardonnay. It’s buttery texture will help cool your palette from the heat of the chilis. Or, to stay in the Mexican theme try making my Pineapple Aqua Fresca. It’s really refreshing!

THE PERFECT HEALTH

The vitamin A in chipotles is in the form of carotenoids like lutein and beta-carotene, which are antioxidants. Your body converts carotenoids into vitamin A. The antioxidants in chipotle peppers can help to lower blood pressure, thus reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

I also love that when you blend Tinga sauce it becomes rich and creamy with no dairy whatsoever… making this pretty guilt free!