Moroccan Tagine Chicken (Printable version)

Tender chicken braised with apricots, olives, and aromatic North African spices.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4–6 pieces)

→ Produce

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 large carrot, sliced
06 - 1 cup dried apricots, halved
07 - 1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, rind thinly sliced (optional)
08 - 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

→ Spices

09 - 1 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1 tsp ground coriander
11 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
12 - 1 tsp ground paprika
13 - ½ tsp ground turmeric
14 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt
16 - ⅛ tsp ground cayenne (optional)

→ Pantry

17 - 2 tbsp olive oil
18 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
19 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

→ Olives & Nuts

20 - ½ cup green olives, pitted and halved
21 - ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted (for garnish)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides for 5–7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, and a pinch of salt to the pot; sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper to the vegetables. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Add drained diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
06 - Return chicken to the pot. Stir in apricots, preserved lemon rind if using, and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer.
07 - Cover pot and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Uncover, add green olives, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted almonds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweet-savory balance feels indulgent without being heavy, and one pot means less cleanup than the flavor suggests.
  • Bone-in thighs stay impossibly tender through the long simmer while the spices bloom and deepen rather than fade.
  • It's naturally dairy-free and adaptable, so you can serve it to almost anyone at your table without fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—it's the difference between skin that crisps and skin that steams, and that matters more than any single ingredient.
  • Preserved lemon tastes aggressive on its own, but in the sauce it transforms into something subtle and essential; start with less if you're skeptical and add more next time.
  • The sauce should coat the spoon and cling to the chicken rather than pool in the bottom of the pot; if it looks thin after the olives are added, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes.
03 -
  • Don't rush browning the chicken or blooming the spices—these moments of patience are what separate a flat-tasting dish from one that tastes like it's traveled from somewhere warm and specific.
  • Taste as you go, especially after adding the olives, since their saltiness varies wildly by brand and can quickly push the whole dish too far in one direction.
  • If your sauce seems thin at the end, remove the chicken, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes until it coats the spoon—then return the chicken gently to warm through.
Go back