A deceptively easy weeknight chicken dish (as long as you have cooked or canned chickpeas around) with much of the exotic spicing that makes North African cuisine so enjoyable. With the added chickpeas and vegetables, it’s also very nearly a one-pot meal; just serve it with rice or—more in keeping—couscous (page 526) and you’re all set.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　8 chicken thighs, about 2 pounds

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 tablespoon ground cumin

　　1 teaspoon ground cardamom or 5 or 6 whole white cardamom pods

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　2 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound), trimmed and cut into chunks

　　1 cup drained cooked (page 431) or canned chickpeas

　　1 cup peeled and seeded tomatoes (drained canned are fine)

　　1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

　　Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Remove the skin from the chicken. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cayenne and rub this mixture all over the meat.

　　

Step 2

Put the oil in a deep skillet or flameproof casserole, preferably nonstick, with a lid. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait a minute or so, until the oil is hot. Add the chicken, smooth side down, and brown it lightly, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the zucchini. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes; do not let the mixture dry out completely.

　　

Step 4

Add the stock and bring to a boil; turn down the heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the thighs are tender and cooked through. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.