SPICED CREOLE CHICKEN THIGHS WITH OLIVES AND BLACK-EYED PEAS 

Prep Time:  1 Hour
Yields:  4 Servings

Comment:
There was a time in history when this dish could only have been prepared by the very wealthy or the very well connected—the spices called for in this Moroccan-inspired recipe would have cost a pretty penny.  So accessible now, we take them for granted, spices like these were literally responsible for the rise and fall of many civilizations.

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
pinch salt
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced bell pepper
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tsp tomato paste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 tbsp honey
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 bay leaf
fresh parsley, minced
salt to taste
pita bread, toasted

Method: 
Combine spices and salt in a dish, then rub over chicken thighs.  Let stand about 5 minutes.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken, skin side down, and sauté until browned on both sides (about five minutes on each side).  Remove chicken and reserve.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of drippings.  Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and sauté for three minutes.  Stir in the ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and cinnamon stick.  Cook just until fragrant, about one minute.  Deglaze with wine and tomato paste, stirring to combine.  Simmer until liquid evaporates.  Add tomatoes, broth, black-eyed peas, olives, honey, lemon, and bay leaf; stir to combine.  Arrange reserved chicken to top, cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced, about 20-25 minutes.  Finish with parsley and salt just before serving.  Serve with toasted pita.