Moroccan Chicken Tagine

★ 5.0 · Advanced

Chicken thighs braise slowly with warm spices, sweet dried apricots, and briny olives until deeply tender in this fragrant North African stew. A tagine pot is traditional, but a Dutch oven works beautifully too.

20 minPrep Time

60 minCook Time

80 minTotal Time

6 servingsYield

Why You'll Love This

Warm, fragrant blend of North African spices
Sweet apricots and briny olives in perfect balance
Deeply tender braised chicken

Ingredients

2.5 lbbone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8)
2 teaspoonskosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
3 tablespoonsolive oil, divided
1large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1 tablespoongrated fresh ginger
2 tablespoonsras el hanout or curry powder spice blend (cumin, cinnamon, and coriander)
1 teaspoonground turmeric
1/2 teaspooncayenne pepper
1 (14.5 oz) candiced tomatoes
2 cupschicken broth
1 cupdried apricots, halved
1/2 cupgreen olives, pitted
2 tablespoonshoney
1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
2 tablespoonstoasted sliced almonds, for garnish

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

460Calories

30gProtein

26gFat

27gCarbs

4gFiber

780mgSodium

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed and will vary based on the specific products used. It is not a substitute for advice from a nutrition professional.

Method

Pat the chicken thighs dry and season on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 5 to 6 minutes, until deeply golden, then flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onion, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes, until softened and golden.
Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the ras el hanout spice blend, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices become fragrant (do not let them burn).
Add the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Return the seared chicken thighs, skin-side up, to the pot, nestling them into the liquid without fully submerging the skin.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and reaches at least 165F internally.
Stir in the dried apricots, green olives, honey, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Cover and continue simmering for 10 more minutes, until the apricots have plumped and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; the sauce should be a balance of warm spice, sweetness, and brininess.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and toasted almonds, and serve hot with couscous or crusty bread.

Tips

Blooming the ground spices in the oil for less than a minute intensifies their flavor dramatically compared to just simmering them in liquid; watch closely so they do not scorch.
Searing the chicken skin well before braising adds deep flavor to the finished dish, even though the skin will soften again during the braise.