Chicken Tagine with Pine nut Couscous
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Chicken tagine with pine nut couscous braises chicken thighs in a fragrant Moroccan spice blend with dried apricots and prunes, served over couscous scented with lemon zest and toasted pine nuts. A dinner-party-worthy North African main.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
55 minREADY
90 minA Moroccan tagine is all about balance: sweet dried fruit, warming spices, savory braised chicken, and a whisper of heat. This version delivers all of that in under 90 minutes using a heavy Dutch oven instead of the traditional conical clay pot.
The spice mix is classic tagine territory: cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cardamom pods, and a couple of dried red chiles. Blooming them in the rendered chicken fat before adding liquid is the critical step. Those spices need heat and oil to wake up their essential oils, otherwise the broth tastes thin and dusty.
Dried apricots and prunes add sweet chewy depth to the braising liquid. Forty minutes of gentle simmer is all it takes for them to plump, release their sweetness into the sauce, and perfume the chicken all the way through.
Couscous is the right starch here. Steamed with broth, then tossed with toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, and lemon zest for brightness. Mound it on a platter, top with the chicken, and pour that jewel-toned sauce over everything.
Pro Tips
- Brown the chicken skin-side down until deeply golden, not just lightly colored. That’s where most of the flavor builds.
- Crush cardamom pods lightly with the flat of a knife before adding. Whole pods release aroma slowly; crushed pods release it fast.
- Skim excess fat from the sauce after simmering. Chicken thighs render a lot, and skimming keeps the sauce glossy instead of greasy.
- Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat just until golden. They burn fast, so watch closely.
Variations
- Swap prunes for dried figs or Medjool dates for a different sweet fruit profile.
- Add a handful of green olives alongside the apricots and prunes for briny contrast.
- Stir a pinch of saffron into the broth for extra color and floral depth.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in a 6- to 8-qt. heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Add half the chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Turn over and cook 3 minutes more.
Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining chicken and set aside.
Drain all but 2 tablespoon oil from pot and reduce heat to medium.
Add onion and sauté until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
Add cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cardamom pods, chiles, and salt and stir to combine.
Return chicken to pot and add apricots, prunes, 2 cups chicken broth, and parsley sprigs.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Cover and simmer 40 minutes.
Take pot off heat and remove parsley sprigs and chiles.
Remove skin from chicken.
In a covered medium saucepan, bring remaining 2 cups chicken broth to a boil.
Turn off heat, stir in couscous, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.
Uncover pan and fluff couscous with a fork.
Stir in 2 tablespoon minced parsley, pine nuts, and lemon zest and toss to combine.
Mound couscous on a platter.
Top with chicken thighs and pour sauce over the chicken.
Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon parsley.
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