Moroccish chicken

• 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 1 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1/2 pound frozen pearl onions, thawed
• vegetable oil for browning chicken (I use avocado or grapeseed)
• 1 preserved lemon, peel only, cut into strips
• juice of one fresh lemon
• 1/2 pound pitted kalamatta olives
• 6 – 8 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
• olive oil
• 1 t. thyme
• haz el hanout (no salt)
• 2 – 6 bay leaves (I have a tree so I have the luxury of using lots)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spread the thawed onions and artichoke hearts on paper towels (this will allow you to brown the onions and it will remove much of the water from the artichoke hearts so that the chicken will brown nicely). After removing the skin from the thighs, sprinkle liberally with raz el hanout, salt and pepper. Close in a plastic bag for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator).

In a large skillet over medium high heat brown the pearl onions. Scatter them around the edges of a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold the chicken without crowding. Brown the chicken on both sides in 2 batches moving it to the roasting pan when done. Add the artichoke hearts and bay leaves to the pan around the chicken. Lay the lemon peel on the chicken pieces; scatter the thyme, olives and garlic over everything. Drizzle with olive oil; squeeze the lemon juice over all. Bake at 375° for about an hour.

Remove the chicken to a serving dish and bury in the vegetables and pan juices.