Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Cooking can be a great way to explore new cultures while convincing your little ones to try something new. While not all kids are adventurous when it comes to trying different foods, having a hand in making the dish will often give them added courage—especially when everyone else is raving about how great it is!
Moroccan Chicken Tagine
This North African dish is a stew made from a variety of fragrant spices and hardy root vegetables. A traditional staple of Moroccan family life, it is most often served with a salad or couscous. We love it combined with Naan!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 lemon (zested)
- 4-5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2-1/4 tsp Salt (separated)
- 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs (trimmed of excess skin and fat)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin )
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bag baby carrots
- 1/2 cup Greek green olives (pitted and halved)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
Preparation
Combine the spices, through turmeric, in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine 1 tsp of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove and set aside.
Season both sides of chicken pieces with 1-2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces (skin side down) until deep golden; using tongs, flip the chicken and brown the other side. Transfer chicken to a large plate and, once cooled, peel off the skin and discard. Discard all but 1 tbsp of fat from the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; add some water if the pan gets too dark.
Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour and stir constantly.
Mix in the broth, remaining lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken (with juices) back in, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, and simmer (covered) until the chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender (about 10 minutes).
Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, cilantro, and 1 tbsp of the lemon juice; taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.
Take It A Step Further
If you prefer a more immersive experience, consider cooking side-by-side with a real Moroccan chef. Swap stories and learn about life in Morocco as you fill the kitchen with the glorious smells of tagine.
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Moroccan Chicken Tagine
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