Bancour-Spiced Stew

Garif“The Garif adorn themselves simply with ornaments of stone and bone, preferring natural objects over those crafted or otherwise changed from their original form. The one exception is their masks: each is unique, and is worn for the duration of the owner’s life.”

—from a description in the Clan Primer, FFXII

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion or 2 small onions, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 head of garlic (about 8-12 cloves), peeled and halved
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup white quinoa (about 3 oz.)
  • ½ cup red quinoa (about 3 oz.)
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 14-oz. can of diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 15-oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 14-oz. jar of pimento-stuffed small green olives, drained and rinsed
  • Juice of 1 orange (about ¼ cup)
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook for 10 minutes, covered. Stir frequently and reduce heat if the onions are browning too quickly.

Add the chicken pieces to the soup pot. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper and stir well to combine. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa. Add broth, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 or 15 minutes, until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and stir in olives, orange juice, and cilantro. Remove thyme sprigs and serve.

Makes about 13 heaping 1-cup servings. Per serving: 364 calories, 15.6 g. fat, 3.2 g. saturated fat, 2 g. poly. fat, 5.6 g. mono. fat, 83.4 mg. cholesterol, 1779.8 mg. sodium (this will be less if you use homemade chicken stock instead of storebought), 292.7 mg. potassium, 20.6 g. carbohydrates, 3.4 g. fiber, 31 g. protein, vitamin A 4%, vitamin C 17%, calcium 4%, iron 13%