Apricot Chicken Tagine

This Apricot Chicken Tagine does not hold back on flavor yet it is so simple to make! Seriously, I can’t get over how satisfying this dish is with its earthy chicken broth and warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cumin. Even better, in a few simple steps, you’ll have yourself such a cozy meal.

The ease of making this Apricot Chicken Tagine recipe comes down to lining up all your ingredients and taking this one step at a time (as with everything in life). You’ll start to make this by searing each side of the chicken so it has that salty, crispy skin. After removing it from the pan, then we will form the base of this stew. It starts with butter followed by onions. Once those onions are soften, we throw in some spices, pour in some saffron chicken broth, and add our chicken back in along with chopped apricots. Then you get about 20 minutes to listen to some music or read a quick article while your tagine simmers. That’s literally it!

Like this Apricot Chicken Tagine recipe? You might also enjoy my Shrimp & Veggie Rice Noodles, Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow) or Spicy Orange Sesame Beef recipes. If you have any questions when making this recipe reach out to me @thefamiliarkitchen on instagram. I’d LOVE to see how it turns out for you and answer any questions you might have!

Apricot Chicken Tagine

The Familiar Kitchen

This Apricot Chicken Tagine is one of my favorite weeknight meals. The process is so simple and packs in INSANE flavor. Serve it with seasoned pearled couscous or saffron rice and you've got yourself a cozy meal!

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Ingredients

  

• Butter: 2 tbsp divided
• Chicken Thighs: 8 bone in, skin on, trim fat
• Salt: 1 tbsp
• Ground Peppercorns: 1 tbsp
• Chicken Broth: 2 cups
• Saffron: 2 pinches
• Yellow Onions: 2 diced
• Ginger: 1 inch minced
• Garlic: 6 cloves
• Ground Cumin: 2 tsp
• Ground Coriander: 2 tsp
• Hot Paprika or Cayenne: 2 tsp
• Cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Dried Apricots: 1/2 cup thinly sliced
• White Balsamic or Champagne Vinegar: 1/4 cup
• Garnishes: toasted pepitos or pine nuts and fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

 

• Remove some (not all) of the fat from the chicken thighs. Place in a bowl and rinse it under cold water. (It's not necessary to wash your packaged chicken, but I wash my poultry in cold water with lemon juice for flavor). Drain and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
• Now in a small bowl, warm the chicken broth. Once warm, add in the saffron by pinching and grinding it into the broth. Set aside to allow the saffron to bloom.
• In a dutch oven or stock pot on medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of butter. Once the butter melts, place the chicken thighs in, skin side down in the pot and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the edges become crispy/golden.

  Flip and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes. (Be patient with flipping the chicken. If it is sticking too hard to the bottom of the pot, it's still cooking so wait another minute or so before flipping it.) Once it's cooked, remove and set aside on a plate.
• In the same pot at the same heat level, add the remaining tbsp of butter and add the onions. Cook the onions until they become soft. Now add the ginger and garlic and cook until it becomes soft.
• Now, add all the ground spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, hot paprika) and quickly mix together. Immediately add the warmed chicken broth and saffron mixture. Stir this so that you pick up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Bring this to a boil.
• Now, add in the cooked chicken and apricots, cover, and cook on a low simmer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, add in the balsamic. Cover again and cook for another 20-25 minutes on low simmer.
• Garnish and serve with couscous or cracked wheat.

Keyword chicken recipe, dinner recipes, main course