Moroccan Chicken with Kumquats and Prunes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 1-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 ounces kumquats, quartered, seeded
• 4 ounces pitted prunes
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Working in batches, fit as many pieces as you can into the pot in one even layer, and cook them until they’re browned on both sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Do the same with any chicken that’s left, then take all the chicken out of the pot and set it aside.
2. Pour out the fat, leaving just a tablespoon in the pot. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook them for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they start to brown. Stir in the butternut squash and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cumin, and saffron, and let them cook for 30 seconds, just until everything smells warm and fragrant.
3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken back in, then stir in the kumquats, pitted prunes, and honey. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes, turning the chicken about every 10 minutes.
4. Take off the lid and raise the heat to high. Let the sauce cook down until it thickens and clings to the chicken pieces. Turn off the heat, then add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with some white rice and a sprinkle of cilantro.