In Dinner, Lunch, Recipes

Chicken Tagine with Apricots & Ginger

Chicken Tagine with Apricots & Ginger

For modern cooks, a tagine is low-and-slow stewing, with very little fat or liquid. The Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian dishes that form the basis of tagine cuisine feature an abundance of ‘warm’ spices -- cinnamon, cumin, coriander -- along with garlic, onion, and sometimes lemon.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger peeled and grated
  • 1-2 red chillies deseeded and finely chopped, depending on preference
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 250 g ready to eat dried apricots
  • 2 tbsp acacia honey
  • 400 g tin plum tomatoes sieved to discard the seeds
  • 2 tbsp Osem brand onion soup mix
  • 200-250 ml boiling water
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • paprika garlic granules

Garnish

  • quinoa cooked
  • fresh coriander a small bunch

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 (180°C fan-assisted).
  • Rinse off the chicken under cold water, and remove any stray feathers, by scraping with a blade of a knife.
  • Place a large non-stick frying pan on the stove, together with a splash of olive oil. When the pan is hot, place the chicken in the pan and seal for approximately 2 minutes on each side until golden, then remove from the heat.
  • When the chicken has cooled down, season with a little sea salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic granules.
  • Place your casserole dish over the stove, gently heat the olive oil, and sauté the finely chopped onion until translucent.
  • Turn the heat down and add the chillies and grated ginger cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the apricots together with the cinnamon stick, and continue to cook again for a further 2 minutes.
  • Dissolve the onion soup mix in 200ml boiling water, then pour into the casserole dish (You may need an extra 50ml, once the chicken has been added, to ensure there is enough liquid to cover the base of the casserole dish and submerge the apricots).
  • Add the seasoned chicken thighs and carefully baste over the juices.
  • Sieve the canned plum tomatoes, to discard the seeds, into a small mixing bowl. Add the honey, combine together then pour over the chicken.
  • Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to medium/low heat.
  • Cover with a lid and place in the preheated over and cook gently for 1.5-2 hours, check every 30 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with plain cooked quinoa.

Notes

LISA’S TIP - The advantage of this recipe is that you don’t need a tagine or lots of time. After getting the apricots simmering, toss everything except the coriander into the casserole dish. After 1.5-2 hours in the oven, it is ready to serve on a bed of quinoa.
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