Moroccan Chicken, Cauliflower, & Apricot Tagine

inAutumn Recipes, Chicken & Poultry Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Middle Eastern Recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
  • YIELDS | 4 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 30 MINS
  • COOK TIME | 2 HRS TAGINE OR 40 MINS OVEN

These flavors are earthy, savory, and tantalizing. This dish takes a bit more to prepare, but it’s well worth it. Make it vegetarian by replacing the chicken with chickpeas and using vegetable broth.

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/4 pounds
  • 3/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup or 4 ounces dried apricots, quartered
  • Large onion, cut in half and then sliced
  • Large cauliflower cut into florets, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup favorite pitted olives
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • Olive oil
  • Cooked couscous, rice, or bread to serve
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional
  • Chopped pistachios, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F if using a conventional ovenproof pan. If using a tagine, heat on the stove on medium.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the spices and salt together.
  3. Working in batches, add the olive oil and onions to the tagine or to a large ovenproof pan, and sauté until browned, removing them from the pan as they are finished. Repeat with the cauliflower.
  4. Add a bit more olive oil to the pan, sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and a thin layer of the spice mixture and sauté 3 minutes on one side, flipping and sautéing an additional 2 minutes until browned, but not cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  5. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  6. Pour the broth into the pan or tagine, and scrape the bits off the bottom.
  7. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining spice mixture and apricots to the pan and mix well.
  8. Add the sautéed onions and cauliflower back to the pan and mix to incorporate.
  9. Place the cooked chicken onto the mixture and pour the accumulated juice over the chicken.
  10. Nestle in the olives.
  11. If using a tagine, reduce the heat to very low, cover with the lid and leave to simmer gently. Add a tablespoon of water to the top of the tagine. When the water has evaporated, the stew will be ready. Stir occasionally. If using a pan, transfer to the oven until tender and golden, about 25-30 minutes.
  12. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.
  13. Sprinkle with cilantro, and chopped pistachios, optional. Serve with couscous, rice, or bread. I use jasmine rice because it is gluten-free.