Probably about 6 years ago, I made my first chicken tagine. I’ve always reflected positively on that meal. The flavors of a tagine are just incredible – and really all without my favorite sins of salt, butter, or cheese. I tore out this chicken tagine recipe from Real Simple relatively recently and got around to making it this weekend. If you have a relatively strong pantry, you probably will only need to pick up the apricots. It’s always incredible to me what magic can come out of my cabinets.
A few notes:
- Quick // Unlike many meals that are rich in flavor, this one is really done in about forty minutes start to finish. There is no marinating and you only chop 1 thing – an onion.
- Quinoa // A tagine like this absolutely requires a grain – and quinoa is a good fit. I’m not a raving fan of quinoa these days. I overdosed on it in salads for like a year and just haven’t been able to get back into it – however, it’s perfect in this case.
- Chicken // The original recipe called for chicken thighs but I am working through the contents of my freezer…. so I went with chicken breasts. I had two oversized thinly sliced chicken breasts and that worked out to about 4 servings.
So go ahead and make this meal – and absolutely don’t skimp on the pistachios and the dried apricots. This is a great meal for the Sunday night dinner that you’ll enjoy a few more times that week.
Here’s how it goes.
- Mix the cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium high. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pot along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot along with the canned tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, apricots, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve over the quinoa, topped with the parsley and pistachios.
Shopping List
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 big chicken breasts, cut into 2-in. pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups dried apricots
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Cooked quinoa, chopped fresh parsley, and roasted, salted pistachios, for serving