Moroccan Tagine Recipe

Tagine is a beloved North African stew that brings together meat, vegetables, and dried fruits in a fragrant, spice-infused harmony. Slow-cooked in its iconic clay pot, this dish transforms simple ingredients into a rich, soul-warming meal that tells a story of tradition and flavor.

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Olive oil – 2 tbsp
• Ground cinnamon – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Cumin powder – 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
• Grated ginger – 1 tsp
• Large yellow onion (diced) – 1
• Water – 3 cups
• Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) – 1 can (drained)
• Slivered almonds – 1 cup
• Raisins – ½ cup
• Dried apricots (chopped) – ½ cup
• Honey – 1 ½ tbsp
• Harissa – 1 tbsp
• Small preserved lemons – 4
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Butternut squash – 4 cups (peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes)
• Couscous – 2 cups
• Chicken breast (diced) – 2
• Butter – 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in your Moroccan tagine pot. Add diced onions to the pot and sauté for about five minutes till it turns translucent.
2. Next, add grated ginger and minced garlic to the pot and sauté for another two minutes. Once the mixture starts giving aromatic flavor, add diced chicken breast and stir the mixture for about one minute to let the extra water from chicken evaporate.
3. Next, it is time to add your spice mix to the pot. Sprinkle coriander, cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric powder and stir to combine. sauté the mixture until the chicken cubes are no longer pink.
4. Once all the ingredients are perfectly combined into the chicken, it is time to add almonds, raisins, honey, harissa, chickpeas and 1 cup water to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Reduce the heat and stir for a minute before covering the pot to simmer it for 10 minutes.
5. When it forms a partially thick gravy or stew, it is time to add the butternut squash and the lemons to the mixture. Stir the mixture properly to combine the ingredients, and return to simmer.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for another 25 minutes, or until the butternut squash turns fork-tender.
7. Remove it from heat and garnish with dried apricots and slivered almonds. You can also use freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish.
8. The dish is best served with couscous. To prepare couscous, take a saucepan, add two cups of water and bring to a boil.
9. Once the water is boiled, add bouillon cubes and butter and stir until the ingredients are dissolved. Make sure that the water is still boiling.
10. Next, to the mixture, add the couscous and stir properly. Turn off the heat and cover the saucepan with a lid. Let it sit there for 10-15 minutes. Your couscous is ready. Fluff it with a fork and serve with your chicken tagine.