-
1
To peel the shallots or baby onions, blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and trim the root ends.
-
2
Saute the chopped onion until softened in the oil over a medium heat in a pan or casserole large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer.
-
3
Stir in the saffron, ginger, and cinnamon, then put in the chicken pieces.
-
4
Season with salt and pepper, and turn to brown them lightly all over.
-
5
Add about 1 cup water and cook, covered, over a low heat, turning the pieces over, for 15 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are done.
-
6
Lift out the breasts and put them to one side.
-
7
Add the shallots or baby onions and continue to cook, covered, for about 25 minutes, or until the remaining chicken pieces are very tender.
-
8
During the cooking, turn the chicken pieces and stir the onions occasionally; add a little water, if necessary.
-
9
Lift out the chicken pieces and set to one side.
-
10
Stir the honey into the pan.
-
11
Check the seasoning.
-
12
You need quite a bit of pepper to mitigate the sweetness.
-
13
Cook, uncovered, until all the water has evaporated, and the onions are brown, caramelized, and so soft that you could crush them, as they say in Morocco, with your tongue.
-
14
Return the chicken pieces to the pan, spoon the onions on top of them, and heat through.
-
15
A few minutes should be enough.
-
16
Serve, if you wish, sprinkled either with blanched almonds fried in a drop of oil until they are lightly golden, or with toasted sesame seeds.
