Moroccan Chicken Tagine
This delicious Moroccan Chicken Tagine is a savory stew made with bone-in chicken thighs, carrots, chickpeas, and a blend of warm spices. Sweet, dried apricots complete this full-flavored recipe.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 large carrots sliced into ½-inch thick coins
- 15 ounces canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup dried apricots halved longwise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the lemon. Zest the entire lemon. Then, cut the lemon in half, juice it, and set the lemon juice aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Set aside.
- Make the seasoning. In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and coriander. Set aside.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a 4 to 5-quart braiser set over medium-high heat. You can also use a Dutch oven. Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the heated oil and brown the chicken thighs for about 5 minutes per side. Add more oil as needed. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add onions to the braiser, decrease heat to medium, and stir in remaining plain lemon zest; cook for 4 minutes, or until onions are soft, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining plain garlic and previously prepared seasoning mixture; cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add broth and veggies. Stir in the broth and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned pieces from the bottom of the pot. Add in carrots and chickpeas. Stir in the honey and bring mixture to a simmer.
- Combine and cook. Return the chicken thighs to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Then, remove the lid and continue to cook for 15 more minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature registers at 165˚F. Use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer to check for doneness. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and set aside; keep them covered.
- Add the apricots. Using a spoon, skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce. Increase the heat to medium, stir the apricots into the sauce, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in previously prepared lemon zest and garlic mixture, reserved lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Taste the sauce for salt and pepper, and adjust.
- Finish and serve. Return the chicken to the pot and remove from the heat; let stand for about 5 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Tagine is a traditional Moroccan cooking vessel made of clay. For those that do not have one, a braiser or a Dutch oven works just fine.
- Chicken Tagine strives for the balance of sweet and savory, and that is why we use sweet spices and apricots alongside lemons, and sometimes olives. If you'd like to use olives, about 1 cup green olives should be enough.
Nutrition
Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 1064mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 4562IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg
