Recipe Index

Moroccan | Chicken Tagine

Posted on September 24, 2016

Another version of Chicken Tagine. I love the way the spices are cooked into the meat rather than just added later. The recipe calls for browning the chicken in the tagine, which you can do if your tagine has a stainless steel-clad or cast iron base. If your tagine is all earthenware (like mine), brown chicken in a skillet and transfer to the tagine for simmering, or prepare the entire dish in a Dutch oven.

Yield: 4 servings

chicken tagine

Ingredients

Spice-rub for chicken:

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

 

Tagine:

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced (or microplaned) ginger

2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon, rind only

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon harissa paste, or more to taste

1/4 cup dried apricots

1/4 cup pitted prunes or raisins (I use raisins)

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or less)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

 

Method

For the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine all the spices and mix until well incorporated. Add chicken and run thoroughly with spices, set aside.

For the tagine: In a tagine or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sliced onions. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring regularly, until tender, 8 minutes. Transfer the onions from the tagine and place them in a small bowl.

Return heat to medium-high and add remaining tablespoon of oil to the tagine. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add onions, preserved lemon, carrots, harissa, dried fruit and chicken broth (about 1/2 way up the chicken, so may not need all the broth, watch and add if needed). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 25 minutes.

Add the herbs and simmer for about 3 more minutes with the lid off to reduce the juices and meld the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve on top of couscous or with couscous on the side.

 

(Ref. Sur La Table's "Chicken Tagine with Dried Fruits" recipe, "Exotic French-Moroccan Cuisine" class.)