Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe

4.20 from 5 votes

Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe

This recipe melds tender, pull-apart chicken with lemon, sweet and savory spices, caramelized onions, chickpeas and a pop of flavor from green olives. You can also swap the olives for the sweet chewiness of dried apricots - both versions are a favorite in my house.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings thighs

Calories 577kcal

Author Heather Dessinger

Equipment

1 large pan

Ingredients

Chicken Tagine Base Ingredients

2-2½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs with skin on (Around 5-7)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion (Cut into 1/4 inch slices and then halved)
1 tbsp minced garlic
½ cup pitted green olives in water brine, cut in half (Can substitute 1 cup dried apricots, see notes)
1 cup chicken broth
15 oz. diced tomatoes, with juice
15 oz. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest

Spice Blend

1 tsp salt (Or more to taste. The amount you will need depends on how salty your olives and chicken stock are.)
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground coriander

Optional Sides & Garnishes

Cooked rice, couscous, cauliflower rice, quinoa, etc.
Chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the skin side with a little bit of the spice blend, then rub it in.
Warm the oil over medium high heat in a large pan.
Place the chicken thighs into the pan skin-side down, then reduce heat to medium.
Brown the thighs for 5 minutes, then flip them over and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Flip them back to the other side (skin side down) and brown for five more minutes, then remove the chicken thighs from the pan and place them on a plate.
Reduce heat to medium-low and place the onions and garlic in the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until slightly softened.
Add the remaining spices, diced tomatoes with juice, olives, chickpeas, lemon zest, lemon juice and chicken broth to the pan along with the onion and garlic.
Use tongs to nestle the chicken thighs down into the mixture with the skin side up.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low - uncovered - for 5 minutes.
Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Taste and add more salt if needed, then serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or couscous. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Notes

If you’re substituting apricots instead of olives, soak them in hot water for 20-30 minutes before starting the recipe. Add them at the same time that the instructions call for adding the olives.

Nutritional values are estimates. Yellow onion was used in the calculation.

Nutrition