Picazzo's Healthy Italian Kitchen (Picazzos.com) is a family-owned Arizona restaurant that opened in Sedona in 2002 serving great-tasting health-conscious food. There are now locations across the Valley, including the Arrowhead location. Director of Operations Chris Disney explains that Picazzo's takes a fusion approach to modern-Italian cuisine, with bold flavors of Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican ingredients. The restaurant sources clean, whole foods and offers gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. Disney whipped up a Moroccan Chicken that might appear as a special on the fall menu.
To create this recipe, you can purchase a Moroccan seasoning blend, or blend Disney's custom mix: 1 Tbsp ground cloves; 1/2 Tbsp ground cardamom; 2 Tbsp each ground coriander, ground cinnamon, granulated garlic, ground ginger and ground cumin; and 7 Tbsp each ground turmeric and ground allspice.
Picazzo's Moroccan Chicken
Moroccan Sauce:
6 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup potato starch or bread flour
6 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1/4 cup Moroccan seasoning
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
Moroccan Chicken:
2 chicken breasts (8-9 oz each)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fig jam
4 cups Moroccan Sauce
To make the sauce:
- Sauté carrots and onions on med-high heat with olive oil until browned.
- Reduce heat to medium and add butter, garlic, spice blend and starch or flour; mix until paste forms.
- Turn heat to high, add broth and water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, add salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender or cool and pour into a blender.
To make the chicken:
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a saute pan and heat to med-high.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; sear for about 3 minutes on each side.
- Place chicken breasts in a 3" deep baking dish and cover with Moroccan sauce.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165.
- Remove from oven, plate each breast and spoon sauce from the pan over the top.
- Garnish with about 2 Tbsp. fig jam and cilantro.