Djej bil Qara

Description
Algerian chicken with pumpkin

Ingredients

 * 2 whole chickens
 * 2 whole large onions, grated or pureed in a blender with some water
 * 2 – 3 cups of pumpkin, cut into small pieces
 * spices that work for the dish are my ras el hanout blend, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon or nutmeg just to name a few. you can omit spices entirely and the dish will still be delicious.

Directions

 * 1) Put all the ingredients in a big pot with about 1½ cups of water, season with salt and pepper, add spices if you will be using them.
 * 2) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 1½ hours.
 * 3) You can serve this as is with couscous or bread.
 * 4) You can gently wipe off the sauce on the chicken, butter it and brown it in a very hot oven.
 * 5) The sauce can be passed through a sieve or a food mill for a more refined texture or it can be puréed in a blender.