Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Chicken Tagine Recipe
Moroccan Chicken Tagine – Chicken braised in a wealthy spice-infused sauce studded with chickpeas and dried apricots. Simply, YUM! Serve over couscous for an genuine consuming expertise.
After you’ve made this, strive Lamb and Vegetable Tagine!
Tagine is a basic North African stew made with meats and greens braised in a gently spiced sauce. It’s historically made in a conical-lidded earthenware pot referred to as a tagine (from the place the dish clearly will get its title!) A tagine’s lid is formed so all of the steam trapped within the dome drips again into the dish as condensation, protecting the dish moist because it slowly stews.
There are a lot of styles of tagines. Meat, fish and all method of greens could make their means into this stew. Nuts and preserved fruits like figs, apricots, lemon or olives are additionally usually added to for flavour and curiosity. Right now I’ve picked a Moroccan chicken tagine with dried apricots and chickpeas.
And don’t fear! You don’t want an precise tagine to make this – we’re going to make use of a boring outdated pot! 😂
The spice combine used on this Morrocan chicken tagine is Ras el hanout, a spice mix frequent in North Africa utilized in many dishes. Whereas you should purchase pre-made blends, the stability of flavours may be unpredictable from model to model. It’s so significantly better to make your individual for a constant final result – and it’s cheaper too!
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Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are the perfect minimize for a tagine as a result of they’re nonetheless juicy after the 25 minutes simmering time required to thicken the sauce and permit the flavours to develop.
Chicken legs are a terrific different. Simply comply with the recipe as written. Boneless thighs and breast will work however the prepare dinner technique is finest altered so as to add them again in partway by means of the sauce simmering time else they are going to overcook. I’ve popped instructions within the notes. 🙂
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Ras el hanout – The spice mix for tagine, made with frequent spices you might have already got! You should buy blends however I choose to make my very own to get the suitable stability of flavours. The great factor right here is that as a result of we’re utilizing a good few totally different spices right here, it’s not the tip of the world for those who’re lacking one … and even two. I’ve provided just a few switch-out choices within the recipe notes!
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Cinnamon stick – Added to the sauce because it simmers for a ravishing fragrance and flavour. I really like the scent cinnamon this provides to the dish!
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Dried apricots – As talked about earlier, some variations of tagine are made with olives, others use dried fruit, different nonetheless could use each. I’ve opted for fruit as a result of it’s one of many few dishes I really like that pairs fruit with meat! Nonetheless I’m personally probably not a fan of each dried fruit and olives collectively – it’s just a bit an excessive amount of, I discover. Let one or the opposite shine, I say!
Nonetheless, the recipe contains the olive possibility too.
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Chickpeas – Chickpeas add some extra heft to the dish. I simply use canned for comfort however I’ve popped instructions within the notes for cooking dried. Different beans, like cannelloni and butter beans, make honest substitutes, as do lentils.
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Garlic and onion – Important for the sauce flavour base. It’s uncommon to see saucy recipes on this web site that don’t begin with these!!
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Canned tomato – For the sauce base. Not strictly conventional however I really like the way it thickens the sauce so it clings to the couscous higher. With out, the sauce could be very watery in consistency. Whereas conventional tagines are imagined to be like that, I choose a stewy sauce!
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Chicken inventory – So as to add depth to the sauce. If you happen to simply use water, you’ll discover the sauce a bit bland.
For comfort, I usually use store-bought however do-it-yourself chicken inventory would take this to a different degree. Additionally, vegetable inventory can be substitute.
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Coriander / cilantro – A recent garnish. Advisable, however not a deal-breaker for those who’re a type of individuals who can’t stand coriander. Or if the value of coriander has sky-rocketed to dizzying ranges currently, because it has right here in Sydney as a consequence of excessive climate circumstances! 😭
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Preserved lemon – An ingredient utilized in Moroccan and a few Indian cooking that’s usually utilized in conventional tagines. By accident omitted from the components photograph above, so I’m giving it air time with an enormous photograph! 😂
Preserved lemon is lemon merely pickled in salt. The salt mellows the sharpness of the lemon juice and transforms the flavour remarkably, intensifying the earthiness of the lemon flavour within the zest.
Today it’s pretty simple to search out at massive grocery shops in Australia (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms) however don’t fret for those who can’t discover it. Tagine continues to be value making with out it!
Easy methods to use preserved lemon: We solely use the rind as that is the place all of the flavour is! Take a chunk out of the jar and scrape off the pith (white a part of rind) and pulp utilizing a teaspoon (it’s extraordinarily salty and in addition bitter). Rinse the rind completely below faucet water to take away extra salt then finely mince it with a knife.
Brown the chicken pores and skin till golden, then braise within the spice-infused sauce. Easy!
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Plump up apricots – Cowl the dried apricots with boiling water then depart for half-hour to plump up.
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Brown chicken – Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown the pores and skin rather well in a pan. This takes 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t shortcut this step! The browned pores and skin provides a stack of flavour to the chicken, plus it leaves behind golden bits caught on the pan (referred to as “fond”) which imparts precious flavour to the sauce.
As soon as the pores and skin aspect is properly browned, sear the opposite aspect for simply 1 minute then take away. The chicken received’t be cooked by means of at this stage. We are going to end cooking it within the sauce.
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Sauté aromatics and spices – Sauté the onion and garlic, then prepare dinner off the spices briefly. Sautéing spices earlier than including liquids is an efficient tip for releasing extra flavour from the spices. It actually does for tagines!
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Tagine sauce – Add the chickpeas, apricot, tomato, preserved lemon, inventory and cinnamon stick. Stir, then convey it to a simmer.
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Prime with chicken – Simply place the chicken on high, pores and skin aspect up. Will probably be partially submerged however the flesh ought to largely be below the liquid whereas the pores and skin largely sits above the liquid which is strictly what you need as this manner, the browning on the pores and skin is generally preserves in the course of the braising.
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Simmer lined 5 minutes – Alter the warmth as wanted so it’s simmering gently. Not too quickly else the bottom of the pot will scorch.
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Simmer uncovered 20 minutes – Take away the lid then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or till the inner temperature of the chicken is 70°C/158°F (which can be barely lower than 20 minutes). Don’t fear about going above this temperature as bone-in chicken thighs are a really juicy minimize in order that they’re very forgiving.
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Serving! Tagine is historically served over couscous. I’ve popped somewhat extra data under with some couscous flavouring choices in addition to some options for different carb-y companions.
Couscous
Tagine is ceaselessly served over couscous. Plain couscous is okay although it’s very nice with somewhat sprinkle of dried fruit and/or nuts littered all through, or a spritz of recent lemon. You’ll discover numerous flavouring choices within the couscous recipe.
Different starchy automobile choices
Rice (white, brown, basmati), pearl couscous (the large ones), quinoa and another small-grain starchy issues appropriate for sauce-soaking make good options. Even mashed potato or mashed cauliflower can be nice. Simply one thing to slop up all that scrumptious sauce!
If you happen to’re trying the low carb factor, then Cauliflower Rice will work properly too. Really, I believe the slight nutty flavour from roasting the cauliflower rice will go actually properly with Chicken Tagine!
Aspect Salad
I believe a light-weight, easy aspect salad is good to pair with spice-infused dishes like Chicken Tagine. Some options:
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Shredded Crimson Cabbage, Carrot and Mint Salad (an everyday at my Moroccan or Center Japanese-themed meals)
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Leafy greens tossed with my On a regular basis Salad Dressing (a straightforward, anything-goes different) or Pomegranate Dressing (for extra suitably unique vibes)
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Cucumber Salad with Herb Garlic French dressing
If you happen to’re desirous to make extra of an impression, strive certainly one of these:
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Ottolenghi Inexperienced Bean Salad (I’m actually obsessive about this salad!)
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Grilled Eggplant with Yoghurt Sauce
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Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts
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Nice Roasted Carrots
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Roasted Broccolini with Tahini Sauce (Ottolenghi recipe)
Or – discover your individual good aspect salad right here. 🥬
Like to know what you assume for those who do that! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apricot, halved (Note 1)
- 6 x 220g / 7 oz chicken thighs , bone-in skin-on (Note 2)
- 3/4 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion (brown/yellow), cut into 0.3 cm/ 1/8" slices
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 cinnamon stick (sub 1/2 tsp powder)
- 400 g / 14 oz crushed tomato (1 can)
- 400g / 14 oz canned chickpeas , drained (Note 10)
- 1 tbsp preserved lemon skin , finely minced (Note 3)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, low-sodium (or homemade)
- 1 tsp cooking salt
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp allspice powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp coriander powder
- 1/8 tsp clove powder
- Couscous – plain or with fruit and/or nuts (recipe here)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander , roughly chopped
- 1 cup kalamata olives (instead of apricots) (Note 7)
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds , lightly toasted, for garnish (Note 8)
Instructions
- Plump apricots – Soak the dried apricots in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain (this plumps them up).
- Season chicken – Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the salt.
- Brown chicken – Heat oil the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot (Note 5) over high heat. Place chicken in the skillet skin side down and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden. Turn and cook the flesh side for 1 minute then remove to a plate.
- Sauté aromatics & spices – Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Ras el hanout and stir for 30 seconds.
- Tagine sauce – Add the cinnamon stick, tomato, chickpeas, plumped apricots, stock and preserved lemon, then stir. Place the chicken on top, skin side up.
- Simmer covered 5 minutes – Bring the liquid to a simmer then cover with a lid (Note 6). Cook for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed so the liquid is simmering (but not too rapidly else base may catch).
- Simmer uncovered 20 minutes – Remove lid then cook for a further 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 70°C/158°F (Note 6).
- Serve – Remove from stove and rest for 5 minutes. Serve over couscous (Note 9), sprinkled with fresh coriander.
Notes
1. Dried apricots – Dried fruit like apricots and figs are sometimes added to traditional tagines. I’ve chosen apricots but you can leave them out or sub as you see fit! See Note 7 if you prefer olives instead of fruit.
2. Best chicken cut for tagine is bone-in, skin-on thighs as it yields the juiciest result. However, drumsticks will also work (use 10). For boneless thighs, sear for a couple of minutes on each side, remove, then make the sauce per recipe and just add the chicken back into the sauce for the last 5 minutes. For breast, I think the best way would be to fully cook it through in the pan, make the sauce per recipe, then cut the chicken into thick slices and toss it through the sauce just before serving.
3. Preserved lemon – An ingredient used in Moroccan and Indian cooking, this is lemon that is pickled in salt. The sharpness of lemon juices is mellowed and the earthiness of lemon flavour in the zest is intensified. Adds a touch of authenticity to tagines but don’t fret if you can’t find it, tagine is still worth making without it. Available at most large grocery stores in Australia.
TO PREPARE: We only use the rind as this is where all the flavour is! Take a piece out of the jar and scrape off the pith and pulp using a teaspoon. Rinse the rind thoroughly under tap water to remove excess salt then finely mince it with a knife.
4. Spices – You won’t be left lacking if you are missing a spice (maybe even two). Make up for it by dialling up the ones you have.
5. Cooking vessel – If you have an actual tagine, kudos to you! I use my 30cm / 12″ wide shallow cast iron casserole dish. Any large deep skillet or big pot will work fine. If it has a lid, even better. If not, don’t worry – just cover with a baking tray or foil for the covered simmering step.
6. Internal temp – Chicken thighs are a nice juicy cut so you can cook it well over the target internal temp – even as high as 85°C/185°F – and it’s still juicy. (Can’t say the same for breast!).
7. Olive option – Skip the dried apricots, use 1 cup of kalamata olives, pitted, or green olives. No need to plump them up! Add in with the tomato.
My personal preference is not to use both dried fruit and olives (I just don’t really enjoy the combination, it’s too much competing flavours). Feel free to use both together if you prefer!
8. Nuts – Slivered almonds, lightly toasted until golden in a dry skillet, go really nicely in tagines.
9. Couscous – I use this recipe of mine. Also terrific with rice.
10. Chickpeas – Sub with any canned beans. Dried chickpeas – You will need 1/2 cup of dried chickpeas, cooked as per Note 1 in this recipe.
11. Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge. It will freeze well too! Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers in portion sizes. Thaw then reheat using chosen method (I shamelessly microwave. Speed and convenience).
12. Nutrition is per serving and calories shown in the table is higher than reality as I cannot reliably estimate the amount of fat discarded after browning the chicken (too variable).
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