I got this idea one night when I only had 30 min, and I’m passing it on to you. This one’s a little bit of alchemy– one of those times when I don’t even believe how much I can twist ordinary flavors. I used Ras el Hanout again,  but you can hit a lot of the same notes with cinnamon or fennel if you have either on hand. I pushed the caramelized onions as far as I could to get a real “caramel” flavor out of them.  Instead of slicing them thinly and doing it slowly though (again, I only had 30 minutes), I diced them, added to a hot pan, and let them cook under the broiler in the blind.

The chicken was roasted, shredded and finished in the onion caramel. Add the spices at this stage, deglaze with lime juice,  and season to taste. I’ve been feeling grits lately,  so I kept the streak going– rice would work fine too though.

There’s a lot going on in Atlanta right now, so I’m going to keep this one short.

Let’s cook.

You’ll need:

2-4 Boneless Chicken Thighs

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced

1 Tbs Garlic, minced

2 Cups Grits

2 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Tbs Butter

1 Tsp Ras el Hanout (can sub for equal parts ground cinnamon, coriander and fennel)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear on both sides, and set aside.
2. Add a bit of salt directly to the pan, and stir in the onions “dry” until slightly charred.
3. Add butter and garlic pan, then place under the broiler for approximately ten minutes. Once browned, and soft, broil from approximately one more minute, then set aside.
4. Stir, and return chicken to the pan.
5. Season with Ras el Hanout, deglaze with lemon juice, and stir the onions again to cook evenly.
6. Add grits to a separate pot, season to taste, then boil in water or stock until softened.
7. Plate and serve.

Done.