Tagine Chicken

A Tagine or Tajine pot is typically a clay earthen ware pot for the stewing or slow cooking of meats and vegetables and is used in a lot of North African cooking

The idea is to have a flat pan like base and a conical top that traps the condensation of cooking and allows the flavors to drip back in

This essentially acts as a slow cooker because the cone seals the dish and allows steam and heat to rise and recirculate

Which in turn creates a delicious tender and flavorful meal

We recently purchased a “Modern day Tagine” and the results are awesome, however you can get similar results with a dutch oven

Here is what our Tagine looks like in case you care to invest in one

We are starting off with 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs

I like to trim any excess fat or skin off of the thighs

I then sprinkle each thigh with some kosher salt and ground black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in the base of the tagine

Lay in the chicken thighs without overcrowding them

You can cook them in batches

Sear for 5-6 minutes, then flip and sear another 5-6 minutes

Remove from the heat and set aside

Next we will need 1 onion, 8 garlic cloves, 2 cherry peppers and around 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger

Peel and chop the onion, remove the stems and seeds from the cherry peppers and slice

Peel and grate the ginger

I’m leaving the garlic whole

Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the pan

North African cuisine needs some warm flavors so let’s talk spices

We will need 1 tablespoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of coriander (crushed), 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1 cinnamon stick

Add all the spices to the pan reserving the cinnamon stick for now

Give everybody a stir

You want the spices to cook a little to impart more wonderful flavor

Add in the ginger and stir

Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the onions start to soften and become translucent

Next we will need 1 cup of a dry white wine (like a Chardonnay) and 2 cups of chicken stock

Click our link to make your own Homemade Chicken Stock

Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine

Bring the liquid to a boil scraping any bits off the bottom, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 3-4 minutes to burn any alcohol off

Next add in the chicken stock

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer

Next we will need some vegetables

I’m using 1 butternut squash and 2 parsnips

I think this dish would also be great with sweet potatoes as a substitute for the squash…just saying

Cut the stem off the squash

Slice the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds

Cut into rounds and remove the skin

Cut the flesh of the squash into even chunks

Peel and cut the parsnips

Add these to the pan

Next up we have 1 lemon and around 4 ounces of baby portabella mushrooms

Wipe any excess dirt from the mushrooms with a dry paper towel and slice them

Quarter the lemon and remove any seeds

Add these to the pan along with the reserved cinnamon stick

Nestle the chicken on top

Cover the tagine

Allow the heat to build up

Once the tagine is “venting”  lower the heat to a simmer

Venting just means there is some steam escaping from the sides

Allow the chicken to cook 35-45 minutes until cooked through

At this point I like to remove the lid and place the base under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to re-crisp the skin

Don’t try this with a clay tagine

This looks and smells wonderful

I like to add some fresh herbs at the end like parsley, cilantro and oregano

Give them all a chop

 Sprinkle the herbs over the chicken

We served this with a side of Cous Cous

Enjoy!!!

Tools used to make this recipe

Cooks Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Tagine

Simply Bamboo Cutting Board

Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board

Wilton Recipe Right 3 Piece Cookie Pan Set

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