Recipe: Braised chicken with prunes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH PRUNES

Serves 4.

Note: Serve this simple dish with soft polenta, couscous or saffron rice. From "Maman's Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen," by Donia Bijan.

• 4 whole free-range chicken legs

• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 2 whole cloves

• Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon

• 2 c. water or chicken broth

• 11/2 c. pitted prunes

• Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the chicken legs well on both sides with salt and pepper. In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the chicken, skin side down, in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Briefly turn the chicken legs to brown on the other side. Remove the chicken legs and arrange them in an ovenproof dish.

Discard the fat, and in the same skillet, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft and translucent. Add honey, cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel, lemon juice, and water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the prunes and check the seasoning, adding more salt or lemon juice according to your taste.

Carefully pour the broth with the plums over the chicken legs. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the chicken pieces and prunes, arranging them on a platter and covering them with foil to keep warm.

Simmer the sremaining broth until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, spoon it over the chicken and serve.

Calories490Fat21 gSodium110 mg

Carbohydrates51 gSaturated fat5 gCalcium64 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol105 mgDietary fiber6 g