Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Combining fruit with meat, poultry, or fish is typical of North African cuisine, and with a spicy marinade, the overall flavour is not too sweet. As with many tagine or casserole dishes, the flavours do improve when made a day ahead.
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Cast Iron Tagine
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Cast Iron Tagine
Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2 1/4 pounds) chicken thighs, skinned
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
  • finely grated zest of 1 large orange
  • 125g (3/4 cup) ready-to-eat dried apricots, cut into quarters
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
For the marinade:
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped finely
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • This recipe can also be made with diced leg of lamb, in which case allow another hour for cooking.

  • Method

  • 1
    To make the marinade, mix all the marinade ingredients in a large flat dish such as a Le Creuset gratin dish. Add the chicken thighs and turn them in the marinade so they are well coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
  • 2
    Heat the oil in the tagine base over medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and fry gently until it is just beginning to brown; remove from the pan.
  • 3
    Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Add the chicken pieces to the tagine and fry until they are evenly brown.
  • 4
    Return the onion to the tagine with the sugar, wine, and orange zest. Stir well and add a little more salt and pepper.
  • 5
    Cover with the tagine lid and simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
  • 6
    Add the apricots, re-cover, and continue simmering for 1 1/2 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • 7
    When the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it becomes syrupy. Sprinkle liberally with the chopped coriander and serve with plain steamed couscous, or boiled, plain long-grain rice.
  • 8
    Cook's Notes
  • 9
    This recipe can also be made with diced leg of lamb, in which case allow another hour for cooking.
  • 10
    Since this dish is both spicy and sweet, it is well suited to a slightly sweet German Riesling or Gewürtztraminer. Try a Spatlese level of sweetness for best results.