Egyptian Greens-And-Chicken Stew

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 (2 1/2 lb)  whole chickens, skinned
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (10 ounce) packages fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups hot cooked rice

Directions

1. 1

   Combine the first 5 ingredients in an 8-quart Dutch oven or stockpot, and bring to a boil.

2. 2

   Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove from heat.

3. 3

   Remove the chicken from the pan, and place in a bowl; cool.

4. 4

   Strain the chicken broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander or fine sieve into a bowl, reserving onion; discard the remaining solids.

5. 5

   Return the broth to the pan. Remove the chicken from the bones, discarding bones; shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Keep warm.

6. 6

   Place onion in a bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher.

7. 7

   Add onion to broth; bring to a boil. Add spinach to broth in batches, cooking until wilted.

8. 8

   Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

9. 9

   Add coriander, salt, and garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic begins to brown.

10. 10

    Add to spinach mixture, and stir in lemon juice.

11. 11

    Serve chicken and spinach mixture over rice.