Chicken in Morrocan Orange Sauce

This is a "new classic" in our home. I have been making it for almost five years and everyone who has had it loves it. You can use all legs here (8 to 10 of them) or leg/thigh quarters (4 of them). Chicken breasts don't work as well - they tend to dry out.

4 chicken leg/thigh quarters
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBSP vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, chopped (use a sweet onion, if you can find one. Walla Walla is the fave here)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh orange juice, plus one orange, peeled and chopped
3 TBSP raisins

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add chicken, cover, and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes or until browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and pour off all but two TBSP fat (just eyeball it). Add garlic, onion, cinnamon and red pepper to skillet; cook 5 minutes until onions are soft and are taking on some color. Stir in broth, juice, raisins and another 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Return chicken to skillet, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove chicken and add chopped orange to sauce; heat through. Serve chicken with sauce over whole wheat couscous or long grain rice.

Kristin M.
Pullman, WA