Try this Spicy Chicken Tagine recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tbsp. oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup water
- 25 g butter
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 2 cm piece of fresh ginger chopped finely
- 3 stalks of rosemary finely chopped
- 1/2 red chilli seeded and finely chopped
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. ras el hanout
- 1 tin diced tomatoes
- 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (around 8)
- 1 tbsp. manuka honey
- 1/4 cup dried apricots
- 1/4 cup pitted prunes
- small bunch of coriander
- preserved lemon (if desired)
- Carbohydrate 19.7251265842407 g
- Cholesterol 13.4375 mg
- Fat 5.17103750003503 g
- Fiber 0.593125015998606 g
- Protein 0.633812500232841 g
- Saturated Fat 3.21674875000117 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (339g)
- Sodium 58.015143231857 mg
- Sugar 19.1320015682421 g
- Trans Fat 0.385298750023696 g
- Calories 121 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oil and butter in a large heavy based tagine or saucepan until the sizzling subsides.
- Add onion, ginger, chilli and rosemary, and sauté until the onion is soft.
- Add the cinnamon sticks and remaining spices, cooking until there is a wonderful aroma (2-3 minutes).
- Add the tinned tomatoes and water (enough to cover the base of the tagine).
- Partially submerge the chicken and add the honey, dried apricot and prunes.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover with a lid and cook for 35-40 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add preserved lemon if desired and sprinkle over fresh coriander.
Swapping chicken thigh fillets for breast meat will dry out the dish completely because lean white meat lacks the connective tissue needed to withstand forty minutes of simmering. Making this tagine successfully requires understanding how adjustments to volume alter moisture evaporation rates and cooking dynamics.
- Doubling the batch requires a wider heavy-based vessel rather than a deeper one so that excess water can evaporate properly instead of boiling the chicken.
- Stirring ground turmeric and ras el hanout into the hot fat for exactly two to three minutes releases their fat-soluble compounds without burning the spices.
- Keeping the heat at a low simmer prevents the dairy solids in the butter from scorching against the bottom of the pot during the long coverage window.
- Adding dried apricots and prunes at the beginning allows their natural sugars to break down partially, thickening the tomato base without requiring added starches.
Excessive heat breaks down the chicken proteins too quickly, turning the thighs stringy and separating the sauce. Maintaining a gentle bubble ensures the meat remains tender while absorbing the aromatic warmth of ginger, cinnamon, and chilli.
