Spiced Honey Chicken

by Melody Thacker, in Recipes (No Comments)

This spiced honey chicken recipe started my love affair with meat cooked with sweet spices. I’d never eaten or cooked with spices like cinnamon in savory dishes and the first time I made this one “I fell in love.”  I love the sweet, garlicky, cinnamon, raisin and spice sauce which is delicious over rice. I’m a huge fan of chicken and anything you can cook in the oven so this recipe ticked all the boxes.

Bring a touch of Morocco to your family’s dinner table with this chicken. I serve the chicken and sauce over steamed white or brown rice accompanied by cooked colorful vegetables such as carrots, green beans, peas, broccoli, red bell peppers, and a salad.  If there is any chicken leftover, you can enjoy it cold for lunch the next day. Scroll down for a printable version of the recipe.

Spiced Honey Chicken with Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Watkins lemon peel or grated fresh rind
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3-4 pounds chicken parts
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup almonds slivered
• Watkins ground nutmeg
• Watkins ground cloves
• Watkins ground cinnamon
• Watkins Sea Salt
• Watkins black pepper

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Combine the honey, garlic, oil, lemon rind and juice in a bowl. Place the chicken skin side up in a 4-quart casserole dish and drizzle half the honey mixture over the meat. Sprinkle the chicken with the spices, almonds, and raisins. Pour the rest of the honey mixture over top. Bake for about an hour and a half basting with the sauce every half hour. When the meat starts to brown flip the chicken pieces over. Remove from the oven and baste with the sauce before serving.

There’s a funny story that goes along with this recipe. I generally don’t have slivered almonds so I use whole, unblanched almonds. My husband in all his culinary expertise decided that the almonds are beans and he refuses to eat them. Oh well, more almonds for the rest of us.

You’ll find my favorite premium quality, affordable spices here.  

I’m an Independent Watkins Consultant so when you purchase through my link above you should know I’ll earn a commission. Thanks, I hope you love Watkins spices as much as I do.

If you try this recipe let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!