Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Lemons

This vibrant Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Lemons is simply packed with flavor! Deliciously tender chicken and tantalizing spices transform this easy casserole into a feast for the senses. Serve with fluffy couscous to soak up the delicious sauce.

Try also… my Moroccan Lamb Tagine and Creamy Chicken Casserole.

There’s chicken dinner… and then there’s Moroccan Chicken dinner! I think of this chicken tagine as my ‘summer chicken casserole’ as it just looks like preserved sunshine, doesn’t it?

A tagine (or tajine) takes its name from the clay pot with conical cover that it is traditionally cooked in.

You don’t need specialist equipment to make this recipe taste authentic – a heavy bottomed lidded casserole dish (Dutch Oven) does the job as well!

Tagine recipes tend to combine sweet, salty and sour elements – such as dried fruit and preserved lemons or olives. Slivered almonds bring a lovely crunchy texture to the finished dish.

This gently spiced chicken stew has a mild sweet flavor that will appeal to the whole family, especially young children. I used to serve it to my kids back when they were toddlers.

Here’s What You’ll Need

• Chicken legs, bone-in, skin on or chicken thighs
• Spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon. You can also use Ras el hanout spice mix which combines all these spices and is commonly used in tagine recipes.
• Brown sugar or honey for a touch of sweetness
• Garlic, fresh ginger and onions
• Bell pepper
• Squash or sweet potatoes – or whatever root vegetables you prefer
• A can (tin) of cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
• Dried apricots
• Chicken stock – from a stock cube is fine
• Fresh lemon slices, or preserved lemons if you prefer
• Bay leaves
• Toasted slivered (flaked) almonds, mint leaves, lemon zest and a pinch of dried chili flakes to garnish

How to Make Moroccan Chicken Tagine

1. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels – do not rinse. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Brown the chicken over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side until golden. You might need to do this in batches. Set the chicken aside.

1. Lower the heat and fry the onion, ginger, garlic and bell pepper for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened.
2. Stir in the spices, salt, bay leaves and sugar and cook for a minute until the spices release their aromas.

1. Add the squash, apricots, cherry tomatoes and stock. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and stir everything together. Bring to a boil.

1. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the chicken and lemon slices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

1. Uncover the pot, increase heat to medium and cook for a further 10 minutes until the liquid is slightly reduced and chicken is cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the bay leaves, lemon slices and cinnamon stick.
2. Dry fry the almonds in a heavy skillet until slightly toasted – watch they don’t burn!
3. Scatter the almonds and dried chili flakes over the tagine and serve with couscous or giant couscous (Israeli couscous). Garnish with mint leaves and lemon zest.

Serving Suggestions

Couscous is by far the best match for this chicken stew, absorbing the delicious sauce. To cook couscous, put in a bowl and cover with boiling water or vegetable stock. Cover the pot with a cloth and leave for 5 minutes then fluff the couscous with a fork before serving.

I have used giant couscous (also known as Israeli Couscous) in the photos – this will need to be boiled for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Preserved lemons are frequently used in North African tagines. They can have a pronounced bitter taste that might overpower your stew. If you are not familiar with them and unsure if you like them, use a few slices of fresh lemon instead. Try also Opies sliced lemons in lemon juice which have a milder taste.
• I used chicken legs but you can use chicken thighs or drumsticks. Leave the skin on or remove as you prefer. I tend to avoid chicken breasts in casserole dishes as it can get a bit tough.
• Which dried fruit? Substitute dried apricots with dates, prunes, raisins or sour cherries.

You Will Also Enjoy These Recipes

• Easy Moroccan Lamb Tagine
• Slow Cooker Beef Tagine
• Persian Lamb Stew
• Spanish Chicken, Chorizo and Chickpea Stew
• Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Have you made my Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day!