Chicken Tagine

The chicken tagine is a beloved dish from North Africa. It showcases vibrant spices, tender meats, and slow-cooked vegetables that define Moroccan cooking. 

What Makes a Tagine Dish Special

The tagine pot’s shape allows for slow, even heat. This heat infuses the food with aromatic spices and rich flavors. The cone-shaped lid traps steam, making the food tender and flavorful. This method, along with Moroccan spice blends, makes tagine dishes unique. They have a special taste and texture.

Ingredients(For 5 Servings)

🔰 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 pounds)

🔰 1 teaspoon paprika

🔰 ½ teaspoon ground ginger

🔰 ½ teaspoon ground coriander

🔰 1 teaspoon ground cumin

🔰 ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

🔰 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

🔰 1 lemon

🔰 5 cloves garlic, minced

🔰 Salt and ground black pepper

🔰 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

🔰 1¾ cups chicken broth

🔰 2 tablespoons honey

🔰 1 tablespoon olive oil

🔰 1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into ¼-in-thick slices

🔰 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

🔰 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick coins

🔰 ½ cup Greek cracked green olives, pitted and halved

Instructions

Step 1:

Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set aside.

Step 2:
Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.

Step 3:
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retains its shape, around 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water now and then if the pan gets too dark). Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes.

Step 4:
Add the carrots, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more.

Step 5:
Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy.

If you try this Delicious Tagine recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.