Spice Route Chicken

From Chef on a Shoestrings menu. This sounds like a winner.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (4 -4 1/2lb)  roasting chickens, cut into pieces and skinned
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  cup  chopped red onion
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped green pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped  red pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  teaspoons ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  cups  chopped plum tomatoes
• 2  cups chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  seedless golden raisins
• 8  pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives

Directions

1. Wash and pat dry the chicken.
2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or wide nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides. You may have to do this in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat out of the pot.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, peppers and garlic, and cook until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and bay leaves and stir for one minute with a wooden spoon.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and place it back in the pot. Add the tomatoes and broth.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
6. While the chicken is cooking, plump the raisins in 1/4 cup warm water, then drain.
7. Add the raisins and olives to the pot 5 minutes before removing from the heat. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.