Chicken Tagine
Servings: people
Chicken Tagine is a fragrant Moroccan one-pot dish featuring tender chicken and chickpeas simmered in a spiced tomato gravy. It's rich, comforting, and utterly delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 to 8 chicken thighs bone-in skin-on (about 1½ lb/700 g)
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can chickpeas (15oz/240g)
- ½ cup dried apricots
- 1 can tomatoes (15oz/400g)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 handful parsley
- ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts or slivered almonds, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
Spice Mix (Substitute 4 teaspoons of store-bought Ras El Hanout)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Rinse and pat dry 6 to 8 chicken thighs with kitchen paper and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down, season with salt and black pepper, and sear for 5 minutes. Flip and sear for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat. Add 1 onion (thinly sliced) and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves garlic (pressed) and spices: 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon cardamom, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Toast spices for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Chicken: Stir in 1 can chickpeas (drained), then add 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 can tomatoes, ½ cup dried apricots, 1 tablespoon honey, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.Nestle the seared chicken back into the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.Remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Garnish & Serve: Sprinkle with 1 handful parsley and the juice from ½ lemon. Serve over saffron rice or couscous. We love topping it with 2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted), plain yogurt mixed with dried mint and a side of roasted eggplant drizzled with chermoula.
Notes
📋 SUBSTITUTIONS
- Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs: Substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast.
- Chickpeas: Substitute vegetables like diced bell peppers, cauliflower florets, or diced sweet potatoes.
- Vegetable broth: Substitute chicken broth.
- Honey: Substitute sugar or maple syrup.
- Individual spices: Substitute 4 to 5 teaspoons of store-bought Ras El Hanout for the individual spices.
- Sear the chicken: Allow about 10 mintues for searing the chicken to keep the chicken juicy and develop flavor. Pat chicken dry to get a crispy, golden crust. Sear skin-side down first in olive oil for deepest flavor.
- The spice blend is everything: Try to use as many of the spices we recommend. Alternatively, you can swap a store-bought ras el hanout instead of individual spices.
- Simmer for tender chicken: cover for the first 15 minutes to let the steam cook the chicken through. Uncovered the last 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Want a thicker, glossier sauce? Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 4 tablespoon water and stir it into the sauce towards the end. Finish cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until the magic happens.
- Make ahead: this is an excellent recipe to make ahead because the tagine will be even more flavorful of day two.
- Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: In a freezer-friendly bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: In a skillet on the stovetop with a splash of water, or in the microwave.
