Chicken Casablanca

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 yellow onion, diced small

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced small

1 large carrot, diced

1 quart reduced-sodium butternut squash soup

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons ras el hanout, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste

1 cup frozen peas, rinsed and drained

⅓ cup raisins

Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat.

Cook chicken breasts in hot oil until browned on both sides, but still slightly underdone in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove to a cutting board to cool.

Stir onion into the oil in the pot; saute until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Stir celery and carrot into the onion mixture; saute together until until the celery and carrot begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, place a cover on the pot, and sweat the vegetable mixture until softened completely, about 10 minutes.

Pour butternut squash soup and chicken broth into the pot; stir and bring to a simmer. Season the soup mixture with ras el hanout, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; stir. Replace cover to the pot and cook mixture at a simmer for 40 minutes.

Cut the partially cooked chicken breasts into chunks; add to the soup mixture along with any juices that have collected on the cutting board. Stir peas and raisins into the soup mixture; simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes more.