Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Green Olives, Peppers and Lemon
This Moroccan-inspired dish is a fusion between a Mediterranean recipe and the flavors of New England. We have cooked this for thousands of people in our workshops, and many have told us that we should bottle the sauce. It is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy, combining honey, molasses, and Dijon mustard with Moroccan spices.
This Moroccan-inspired dish is a fusion between a Mediterranean recipe and the flavors of New England. We have cooked this for thousands of people in our workshops, and many have told us that we should bottle the sauce. It is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy, combining honey, molasses, and Dijon mustard with Moroccan spices.
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 8 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 lbs chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 lemon (peeled and sliced thin)
- 2 cups olives (green pitted)
- 2 red peppers (cut into long wide strips)
- 2 orange peppers (cut into long wide strips)
- 2 onions (cut into quarters)
- Carbohydrate 8.54266530773623 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.18334334994681 g
- Fiber 0.871411202429211 g
- Protein 0.787835923446283 g
- Saturated Fat 0.973304070545471 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - 8 serving (268g)
- Sodium 95.8802831825603 mg
- Sugar 7.67125410530702 g
- Trans Fat 0.22559672437662 g
- Calories 97 calories
Step-by-step
- Set Instant Pot to saute while prepping the vegetables and chicken.
- Add olive oil and chicken to Instant Pot. Saute until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the rest of the ingredients including the sauce ingredients and stir well.
- Cover the Instant Pot and lock it. Set the manual or pressure cook time to 20 minutes.
- When the timer reaches zero, quick release the pressure.
- Enjoy!
Home cooks often treat braising spices as uniform powders, dumping cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric into liquids without activating their fat-soluble compounds first. Warming spices like cinnamon contain volatile organic compounds such as cinnamaldehyde, which release far more intense aromatics when bloomed in extra virgin olive oil than when boiled directly in water. This preparation builds a foundation by combining ground spices, tomato paste, and chopped garlic directly in the pot during the initial sauté phase, letting the tomato paste undergo mild Maillard browning to develop deep umami notes that counterbalance the sharp acidity of Dijon mustard. Sugar molecules from honey and molasses interact with amino acids from the chicken breast during pressure cooking, creating complex non-enzymatic browning even inside a sealed chamber. Slicing the lemon paper-thin ensures the essential oils in the peel permeate the sauce without releasing an overwhelming amount of citric acid that might otherwise toughen the poultry protein. Pitted green olives contribute natural sodium and lactic acid fermentation byproducts, supplying a salty brine that reduces the need for additional table salt. Red and orange bell peppers release water as they cook under pressure, forming a rich moisture base alongside the onions without requiring extra stock or broth. For those avoiding poultry, firm white fish fillets or root vegetables like parsnips can substitute at a one-to-one volumetric ratio, though cooking times under pressure must be reduced to four minutes to prevent structural collapse. Seal any leftovers in an airtight glass container immediately after cooling and consume within four days to maintain peak flavor integrity.
