Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes, Olives, and Apricots
A comforting, warming and nourshing stew that everyone loves!
This is one of my favorite stews, both to make and to eat. I developed the recipe over time, tweaking things here and there, and you can adapt it to your own taste. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list—most of it is pantry stuff, and it all comes together pretty easily. Spice-wise, I tend to eyeball (measuring is optional!) and swap in whatever veggies or dried fruits I have on hand. Think of it as your cozy, customizable stew. Swap the ingredients to suit your mood or what’s in season. This version has zucchini, sweet potato, buttery Castelvetrano olives, and apricots. If you’re not already acquainted with Castelvetrano olives, get ready—they’re the gateway olive for skeptics. Mild, buttery, not too salty—they’ve converted more than a few die-hard olive haters in my life.
I love serving this tagine over a quick couscous with a sprinkle of parsley and a bright squeeze of lemon. Want to turn up the heat? Stir in a dollop of harissa (that spicy, magical Tunisian paste) or reach for your go-to hot sauce.
Ingredient notes:
If you’re using a boxed chicken broth, my favorite is the organic, free range Imagine low sodium broth (6 boxes for $18 which is a great deal.)
I make my own preserved lemons and will write up a post for that soon, but I like this brand, or omit and add a bit more lemon juice.
Sometimes I slice the zucchini into 1/4” circles, sometimes into 1/2” circles that I quarter. I have made this probably 50 times, so variety keeps it interesting!
Ingredients:
10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2.5 - 3 lbs.)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
32 oz chicken broth
6 oz dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons preserved lemon paste (optional)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1-2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4” rounds
1 cup Castelvetrano olives (pitted or unpitted — just be careful while eating)
Juice of one lemon
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Optional:
Harissa (Tunisian spice blend)
Prepared couscous to serve over (I use the unseasoned dried, boxed couscous)
Method:
Prep the Chicken: Lay one of the chicken thighs flat on a cutting board. Cut it in two pieces lengthwise, then twice crosswise so you end up with six pieces of chicken. If the thighs are really big, cut them into 9 pieces. You want big, bite sized one inch pieces (not tiny ones.) Repeat with the remaining thighs and place all the meat in a large mixing bowl.
Marinate: Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and kosher salt to the bowl with the chicken. Stir to coat evenly. You can let this marinate for five minutes or overnight if you have time.
Cook the Base: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn pale golden. Be careful not to let it burn.
Add the Chicken: Increase the heat slightly and add the seasoned chicken along with the tomato paste. Stir every couple of minutes until the chicken pieces start to brown a little and are no longer pink. This should take about 10 minutes.
Simmer: Add the chopped apricots, preserved lemon paste (if using), and chicken broth. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook gently for about an hour and a half.
Add Sweet Potato: In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the sweet potato cubes. Keep the pot uncovered now to help the stew thicken slightly.
Final Additions: In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the zucchini and olives.
The dish should look like a liquidy stew. The chicken should be very tender, and the sweet potato fully cooked.
Finish: Before serving, stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
Serving:
Spoon the tagine over couscous in large bowls. Add a sprinkle of parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. For those who love spice, a dollop of harissa is a must. You can see in the photo below I also used pomegranate arils as a pretty garnish for a dinner party:
