In the JNF Kitchen: Osi's Passover Iraqi chicken

It's hard to believe, but Passover is just a week away! We hope to spice up your Seder with some new ideas for creative cooking. Osi's chicken recipe below can be made with rice or substituted with quinoa for those who follow Ashkenazic traditions. Whichever you choose, Osi's chicken is sure to bring some Moroccan flavor to your table, straight from Israel's Negev. 

Osi owns a catering business, Osi events, in Ofakim, a small town west of Be'er Sheva, and she buys all her ingredients at the local market to help Ofakim’s depressed economy. Her delicious cuisine reflects her Moroccan and Iraqi roots and her stunning presentation reflects her strong design sense.

Enjoy this #RecipeOfTheWeek, and if you make any of these recipes, be sure to send a photo of your creation to teddyherzl18@gmail.com or tweet it to @JNFUSA with the hashtag #JNFfoodie. We might share it! 

Have a Chag Pesach Kasher v' Sameach -- a happy and healthy Passover!

Ingredients 

2 medium onions, chopped
4-5 chicken pieces or a whole chicken
3 cups rice
¼ cup oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chicken grilling spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
5 cups water

Directions

In a large pot, fry the onions until they get translucent, and add the chicken pieces or whole chicken (whichever you are using) until the chicken browns a little. Scoop out the onions and chicken and set them aside on another plate for later.

In a separate bowl, mix all spices with the oil, and brush onto the chicken.

Put the rice in the original pot.

Add 5 cups water to the pot, bring to a boil, add the chicken with onions, and then simmer two hours. You can then put on a plata (hot plate) for slow-cooking over Shabbat or holidays. 

Six months ago, Osi published her first cookbook, in which she shares family recipes of dishes that she grew up on and relished as a child and is now cooking for her own family. The book is dedicated to her beloved father, her inspiration and role model and one of the founders of Ofakim. Osi started a fundraising campaign to raise money for the English edition of the book. If you want to help make her project become a reality you can contribute here.