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Moroccan Chicken Tagine

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This Moroccan chicken tagine recipe features tender chicken, butternut squash, dried apricots, raisins, almonds, and a whole host of Moroccan flavors that come together to create a highly fragrant and unforgettably delicious dish!

chicken tagine recipe moroccan butternut squash pumpkin chicken almonds raisins apricot authentic harissa

Moroccan cuisine is considered to be one of the most diversified cuisines in the world.ย  This is because for centuries Morocco has been very interactive with other nations and has embraced and integrated many different cultural influences, not only in its foods but its art, music and literature. One of Morocco’s top priorities has been to protect and preserve its diverse legacy and culture. Moroccan cuisine is primarily Berber-Moorish, but is also influenced by Europe and the Mediterranean in some of its techniques and flavors.ย  Spices are used extensively in Moroccan cooking.ย  Meats, vegetables and dried fruits are a common food combination, as represented in today’s dish.ย  While beef and lamb are eaten, chicken is the most widely eaten meat in Morocco.ย  The national dish is couscous topped with meat and vegetables.

This chicken tagine recipe utilizes traditional Moroccan ingredients and spices. ย Chicken, squash, dried apricots, raisins, almonds, honey, a variety of spices, and harissa – a fiery Moroccan chili paste. ย Delicious as a vegetarian option as well (see recipe). ย Make this Moroccan Tagine for your family or dinner guests, and they are sure to be impressed. ย And if you really want a conversation piece, purchase and serve it in a tagine (where the name of the dish comes from). ย See note below. ย Enjoy some Moroccan music in the background and have a discussion about culture, art, life! Or imagine bringing this to a potluck…can you just hear the “ooh’s” and “ahhh’s”!

A tagine is a special North African pot formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is often painted or glazed, such as this one. It consists of a base where the food is placed and a large cone/dome-shaped lid that is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed,ย the base can be taken to the table for serving. ย The couscous is served separately.

Moroccan Tagine clay baking dish

Chicken Tagine Ingredients

Let’s talk about about a couple of key Moroccan ingredients in this chicken tagine recipe that add a very distinct flavor to the dish.ย  The first one is Harissa.ย  Harissa is a fiery Tunisian chile paste that is also commonly used in Moroccan cooking. ย It’s ย comprised of dried chiles, olive oil, garlic and spices.ย  I always make my own because it’s super easy to and it tastes far better than anything store-bought.ย  It stores in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. ย I’m going to share my recipe with you in case you’re as die-hard of a culinary adventurer as I am. ย Or you can simply use a chili paste substitute – something to give the dish a little color and lots of kick (or a little tap if you prefer).

Check out my authentic recipe for Harissa.

Harissa chili paste

Another integral ingredient to this Moroccan chicken tagine recipe and to Moroccan cooking at large is preserved lemons. ย They completely transform every dish in which they’re used. ย And they’re SO easy to make, not to mention incredibly versatile.ย  Again, store-bought cannot begin to compare in flavor to homemade.

Check out my tutorial onย How to Make Preserved Lemons.

preserved lemons recipe Moroccan Middle Eastern cooking Meyer

Aside from these other key ingredients that capture that Moroccan flavor are dried fruits (apricots and raisins), nuts (almonds), garlic and ginger.ย  The interplay of sweet, savory, citrusy and spicy in this chicken tagine is absolutely magical and is what makes Moroccan cuisine so delicious.

chicken tagine ingredients moroccan

Chicken Tagine Recipe

Let’s get started!

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion until transluscent, about 5 minutes. ย Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another 2 minutes. ย Add the chicken and the dry spices. ย Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. ย 

cooking ingredients in Dutch ovenย 

Add the harissa, apricots, raisins, almonds, broth, bouillon cubes, honey, preserved lemon and garbanzo beans. ย Stir everything to combine. ย Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

chicken tagine recipe moroccan butternut squash pumpkin chicken almonds raisins apricot authentic harissa

Add the butternut squash, stir to thoroughly combine, return to a simmer, reduce the heat to low again, cover and simmer for another 25 minutes or until the butternut squash is fork-tender. ย Add salt to taste.

chicken tagine recipe moroccan butternut squash pumpkin chicken almonds raisins apricot authentic harissa

Transfer the chicken tagine to a warmed serving dish and top with extra slivered almonds.

chicken tagine recipe moroccan butternut squash pumpkin chicken almonds raisins apricot authentic harissa

Serve with couscous. ย Very easy to make, simply boil two cups of water, add a vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (or salt) along with 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until dissolved. ย While the water is still boiling, add two cups of couscous, cover the pan, and turn off the heat. ย Let it sit for 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork. ย It’s ready to serve!

Moroccan Tagine + Fluffy Couscous = Heaven.ย  Why did they never teach us that valuable equation in math class?

Couscous

chicken tagine recipe moroccan butternut squash pumpkin chicken almonds raisins apricot authentic harissa

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

This Moroccan chicken tagine features tender chicken, butternut squash, dried apricots, raisins, almonds, and a whole host of Moroccan flavors that come together to create a highly fragrant and unforgettably delicious dish.
4.45 from 9 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Moroccan
Servings 4
Calories 886 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion , diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , grated
  • 1 lb chicken breast , diced (vegetarian/vegan: use 3 extra cups squash and an extra can of garbanzo beans)
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chicken broth (vegetarian/vegan: use vegetable broth)
  • 15 ounce can garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon harissa , or less if you prefer less spicy (can substitute other red chili paste)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (vegan: substitute agave syrup)
  • 1/3 cup dried apricots , chopped
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 preserved lemon , click link for recipe (fresh lemons are not a substitute)
  • 4 cups butternut squash , or sweet potatoes or pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces
  • salt to taste
  • extra slivered almonds for garnishing
  • For the Couscous:
  • 2 cups chicken broth (vegetarian/vegan: use vegetable broth)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups couscous

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, stir to combine, and saute until the chicken is no longer pink.
    Add the broth, chickpeas, harissa, honey, apricots, raisins, almonds, and preserved lemon. Stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
    Add the butternut squash, stir to combine, return to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender.
    Garnish with some slivered almonds and serve with the couscous.
  • To make the Couscous:
    Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and bouillon cubes and stir until dissolved. While the water is still boiling, add the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Notes

If using a tagine: Transfer everything to the tagine at Step 4 and bake it in the oven, covered with the tagine dome, at 325 F for at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours. At that point check to see if the squash is soft and if not, continue baking until it is. **Be sure to follow the instructions with your tagine to properly season it prior to using.

Nutrition

Calories: 886kcalCarbohydrates: 126gProtein: 49gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 599mgPotassium: 1774mgFiber: 16gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 15540IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 199mgIron: 6mg
Keyword Chicken Tagine, Moroccan Tagine
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.45 from 9 votes

76 Comments

  1. We Loved it!
    I was surprised it wasn’t hotter with all that harisa in! I may well put more in next time, and there will be a next time.
    I threw some garlic stuffed olives in also as almost every meal we had in Morocco seem to have them (olives of some type or other) in and we quite got used to them.
    I used a preserved lemon from a jar (the lemons are quite small) and again, i think i will increase to two lemons next time.

  2. I just found your site by chance. Since visiting Morocco I have been on a bit of a Tagine mission so your recipe is definitely happening this week!

    I thought I would mention for (your readers) that you can buy a diffuser for putting tagines on when using a (gas) stove so there isn’t any direct heat from flames on the pottery.
    They even do one to go on induction hobs so you can use one (a bit more expensive)
    Go on ebay and type cooker diffuser. They are very low cost.

    1. I’m glad you found us, Cliff. Thanks for the info about the diffuser, I’m sure that will be helpful to our readers. I recently switched from gas to induction (I have mixed feelings about it but that’s another topic), I’ll take a look at what the options are. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this tagine recipe – happy cooking!

  3. Can I use Ras El Hanout only instead of all the other spices? I can’t wait to make this dish. The only restaurant anywhere near me that made authentic chicken tangine (rarely) closed, and I’ve been craving it since. Thanks for publishing this recipe!

    1. That would be a good substitute. It has the same spices plus some additional ones, so the resulting dish will have a little different flavor profile but that’s not a bad thing.

      1. If you are interested in substituting Ras El Hanout, how much quanitity (Tbs or tsp’s) would you use as a sub for the ingredients you have already listed?

  4. Hi, do you have any suggestions on where and what kind of tagine pot to buy? I have seen some that are pretty and good only for serving, some that have cast iron bases, some look authentic with the colors and patterns – so in a nutshell its confusing :-)

  5. ok so my tangine arrived from morocco, it is so small, it would just make a small meal for one, rather disappointed,

    1. Hi Starleen, yes tagines come in all difference sizes and it’s impossible to tell from pictures what size they are. That’s happened to me before too, so I’m always very careful now to check the dimensions.

  6. Instead of preserved lemons, I cut up a lemon, add some salt and a tiny bit of water and stew on a very very low heat, watching all the time to make sure it doesn’t burn and topping up the water if necessary. I find it works as well as preserved lemon. I can’t wait to try this recipe as I love Moroccan food.

  7. I think this looks fabulous…I just wonder why it is not cooked in a tagine..I thought that a tagine pot was used to develop the flavors? Sorry for the naive question, perhaps it doesn’t matter…

    1. Thanks, Debi. Simply because most people don’t have a tagine. But for those who do I’ve included those directions in the “Notes” section.

  8. I’m making this for a little get together tomorrow night with some friends. I have prepared everything up to but not including the squash, just to make my own life easier. Hopefully the flavours will intensify and blend overnight and the squash will be the right consistency. I also doubled the recipe as there will be 8 or 10 for dinner. I’ll update with results in a couple of days

    1. Hi Steve, that’s a good way to approach it and yes, the flavors should intensify. What I would probably do tomorrow is, instead of re-cooking everything with the squash, I would cook the diced squash separately and then add it to the rest of the dish, then reheat everything together – otherwise you run the risk of overcooking the rest of the dish. Yes, please let us know how it goes!

  9. The flavors of this dish are exquisite! I cooked the entire dish in a traditional clay tagine on top of the stove on low for the same length of time as if in a oven. I had two smallish egplants which I sliced and added along with the sweet potato and the entire dish is definitely “company worthy” for your pickiest “foodie ” friends! My husband purred!

  10. Hi Kimberly, Iโ€™m confused. We also brought a tagine from Morocco and keen to use it. I get the priming of the new tagine, however I donโ€™t get the transferring it to a tagine at step 4, as itโ€™s where you serve up your recipe. Does this mean that if it takes another 1.5 hours and checking that it’s all cooked, means that your method means some content will be under-cooked?
    Itโ€™s probably me or some ambiguity.

        1. I’m also confused. I got a used tagine from a restaurant I ate at in Morocco. It’s seasoned. But they served the couscous under the chicken. I have been scouring recipes looking for one that uses that method and can’t find one.

    1. Hi Debra! No, you first rinse it, remove and discard the flesh, then chop the it up before adding it. Happy cooking!

  11. Hey Kimberly!

    Do you remember where you purchased the pretty tagine? I’m reluctant to buy them online because I want a set for individuals at the table, but the size designations are poorly defined. I don’t want to have to return them. So… any advice or sources are greatly appreciated!

    1. Hi Evelyn, this particular one was actually a Goodwill find!! :) I have two others that I bought at World Market. They’ve had some really cute ones in the past, I’m not sure what their current selection is. I’m not sure if they have individual ones either but it’s worth checking.

  12. This is one of my favorite dishes, I eat tagine almost twice a week. what I love about it is you can make it with a verity of veggies and also you can choose your own meat and fish. I hope more recipes will be coming this way because we love your postings :)