Sweet and savory tagines are quite popular in Morocco, with a great number of them including fresh or dried fruit as key ingredients. In this Moroccan recipe, chicken is stewed with tomatoes, chickpeas, and raisins in a spicy, fragrant sauce seasoned with cinnamon, saffron, and Ras El Hanout. The result is a rich, flavorful, aromatic dish that brings both sweet and savory to the table, pleasing all members of the family. Although not traditional, you can also serve the tagine over couscous or rice for absorbing the sauce.
Ingredients
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1 chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces
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2 medium onions, 1 chopped, 1 sliced
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3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
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1 1/2 teaspoons ras el hanout
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1 teaspoon turmeric
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
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1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
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1 cinnamon stick
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3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
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2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
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2 tablespoons chopped parsley
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1/3 cup (50 grams) golden raisins
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15 ounces (425 grams) cooked or canned canned chickpeas
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2 to 3 tablespoons honey
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a heavy-bottomed pot, mix the chicken, onions, garlic, oil, butter, and all of the spices. Cover and cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes.
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Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and parsley. Cover and continue cooking over medium heat, occasionally stirring, for another 20 minutes. A rich sauce should form. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
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Add the raisins, chickpeas, honey, and ground cinnamon (if using) to the pot, along with enough water to cover the chickpeas.
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Continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce is quite thick and the chicken is very tender.
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Transfer to a serving platter, and if desired garnish with a sprinkling of freshly chopped cilantro.
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Serve and enjoy.
Tips
- In this recipe, the cooking time is for the use of conventional cookware. If preparing this dish in a clay or ceramic tagine, allow double the cooking time; you will need additional time for bringing the ingredients to a simmer, as well as an additional 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time at each step. Place the tagine on a diffuser over medium-low to medium heat.
- Although you can eat a Moroccan tagine with a fork, most tagines are traditionally eaten by dipping in and scooping everything up with a dense, chewy Moroccan bread called khobz. You can use a crusty bread as well.
- If cooking this dish in advance, note that the chickpeas and raisins will continue to absorb the liquid.
- When reheating, you may need to add a little water to thin the sauce and return it to its original consistency.
Recipe Variation
If you like, a handful of dried apricots can be substituted for the raisins. If they aren't soft enough to pinch in half, boil them until tender and drain before proceeding with the recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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537 | Calories |
26g | Fat |
40g | Carbs |
38g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 to 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 537 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 26g | 33% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 38% |
Cholesterol 111mg | 37% |
Sodium 900mg | 39% |
Total Carbohydrate 40g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber 7g | 25% |
Total Sugars 21g | |
Protein 38g | |
Vitamin C 18mg | 88% |
Calcium 81mg | 6% |
Iron 3mg | 18% |
Potassium 734mg | 16% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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