Chicken Tagine with Apricots is a cozy, flavor-packed Moroccan dish that’s full of warmth. It’s made with tender chicken simmered in a rich, savory-sweet sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and a hint of cinnamon. It's perfect to serve with fluffy couscous or a hunk of crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce.
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Moroccan Chicken Tagine
It's the kind of recipe that makes people linger at the table. So, I love serving it when friends come over or when I need something cozy and comforting. Plus, it’s even better the next day.
Pro Tip
Don’t rush the marinating. The herbs, spices, and lemon seep into the chicken, making it taste significantly better. Even just a couple of hours helps, but overnight is best.
Chicken Tagine with Apricots
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade:
- 8 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 5 garlic cloves minced about 4 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon harissa paste or to your liking
- Pulp of ¾ preserved lemon
For the vegetables mix:
- 2 Tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 3 onions sliced
- ¾ cup dry apricot sliced 120g
- ⅓ cup golden raisins 40g
- 1 cup boiling water or chicken stock
Optional:
- 2 serrano peppers
- Toasted almonds or pine nuts for serving
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Place chicken on a cutting board and make some slits in the thighs.
- In a large bowl combine chicken with all the marinade ingredients making sure to get some into the slits.
- Marinate chicken for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours refrigerated
Make the tagine:
- Place apricots, and raisins if using, in a large bowl and cover with boiling water and soak for 30 minutes.
- In a large dutch oven add one tablespoon of ghee and sear chicken from all sides until golden brown. Remove chicken into a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot melt the remaining tablespoon of ghee and saute onions with the serrano peppers is using until soft and tender.
- Drain apricot and raisins.
- Add water or chicken stock, apricot, raisins and add the chicken back to the pot.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and let it cook until done, 30 minutes
Optional step:
- When everything cooks pour the content of the pot into a baking dish and broil until chicken is blistered.
- Serve with couscous garnished with toasted almonds or pine nuts.
How to Make Chicken Tagine
Ready to make this Mediterranean chicken recipe? Pull out your ingredients and let's get cooking.
You can stick to the spices mentioned in the recipe or you can also add a cinnamon stick or star anise for extra warmth.
You can also make it spicier by adding a pinch of cayenne or extra harissa.
Step 1: Score the chicken thighs with shallow cuts.
Step 2: Toss chicken with all marinade ingredients, rubbing it into the cuts. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Soak apricots and raisins in boiling water for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a large Dutch oven. Sear chicken on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside.
Step 5: In the same pot, add the other tablespoon of ghee. Sauté sliced onions (and serrano peppers if using) until soft.
Step 6: Drain the dried fruit. Add it to the pot with water or stock. Return chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
FAQs
You can, but bone-in, skin-on thighs add way more flavor and richness.
You’ll miss that zesty flavor, but a little lemon zest and extra salt can be a quick substitute.
Absolutely. It actually tastes better the next day, once the flavors have had a chance to settle. Just reheat gently.
How to Store and Reheat
Storage: Let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
Freezing: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heator in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between bursts.
More Tips
- Toast the nuts just before serving for max crunch.
- For a richer sauce, stir in a pat of butter at the end.
- Serve with lemon wedges to brighten things up.
Serving suggestions
Serve this beauty over fluffy couscous or basmati rice to soak up all the juices. Or use pieces of Lebanese pita bread to enjoy that rich sauce.
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Does your family love Mediterranean chicken recipes? If so, you don't want to miss these Greek Chicken Meatballs, Tuscan Chicken Orzo, and Chicken au Poivre.
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