Syrian Style Honey-Currant Braised Chicken Recipe
A flavorful Syrian-style chicken dish featuring aromatic spices, honey, and currants simmered to tender perfection, garnished with fresh parsley for a vibrant finish. This savory and slightly sweet recipe is perfect served with rice or couscous for an authentic Middle Eastern meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Syrian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces)
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce & Seasoning
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup currants (or raisins)
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Brown the chicken pieces in the pot until golden on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same pot, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, coriander, cloves, and black pepper. Stir the spices into the onions and garlic, cooking for another 2 minutes to release their flavors.
- Cook the Chicken: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Add the honey, currants (or raisins), and water or chicken broth. Stir to combine and coat the chicken well with the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Serve: Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve this delicious Syrian-style chicken with rice, couscous, or quinoa, along with Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt, if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute currants with raisins or dried cranberries for a slightly different sweet note.
- For a richer flavor, use chicken broth instead of water.
- This dish pairs beautifully with neutral grains like rice, couscous, or quinoa.
- Adjust the honey amount for desired sweetness.
- Make sure to brown the chicken well for enhanced flavor and color.
Keywords: Syrian chicken recipe, Middle Eastern chicken, honey chicken, spiced chicken stew, savory sweet chicken, currant chicken dish, traditional Syrian cuisine
