Moroccan Spiced Cinnamon Chicken Tagine with an Apricot & Coriander Couscous

August 16, 2016 by Chef Chris

Moroccan spiced cinnamon chicken tagine with an apricot & coriander couscous

Serves 4
Prep: 25mins
Cook: 30mins

Moroccan food as got to be in my top three cuisines and I've been lucky enough to eat in some of the best Moroccan restaurants. I came across this recipe when I was traveling around north India and was invited to a restaurant that our driving was friends with at the time. I remember it being a lovely warm evening sitting outside when this tagine dish was brought out. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the tomato & cinnamon went really well with the whole dish.

All you need is:

• 1 large chicken ( free range or corn fed )
• 2 tins of chopped plum tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 bunch fresh coriander
• 2tbsp honey

For the couscous:

• 500g couscous
• 2 red peppers
• 2 courgettes
• 200g dried apricots
• 1 red onion
• 200g raisins

Method:

1. Pre heat your oven to 200oc or gas 5
2. Start by cutting the legs & breasts off your chicken and portion them in to enough for four people. Keep the meat on the bones as it will add more flavour when cooking. Now you can make your chicken stock with your carcass.
3. Marinate your legs & breasts in all the spices, salt and pepper and leave for an hour or overnight for a real intense flavour. Slice your onion and garlic cloves and fry off in a roasting tin on top of the stove. Now seal all the chicken until golden brown in the same pan as your onions, then add your tin tomatoes,chicken stock and honey, and cook in the oven for about 30-40 mins turning every now and again.
4. Cook the couscous to the instructions on the pack and add a little butter and stock to it. Dice all your vegetables and fry off until cooked and add to your couscous with the apricots, raisins and some fresh coriander, season to taste.
5. Take the chicken tagine out and leave to rest for about 10mins before serving with your couscous.

Chef's tip!

Why not add some sliced chorizo or baked almonds to your dish along with some warm nan bread.

Happy cooking

'Its me,
Chris
@essexcookingman
Lauriechris26@hotmail.co.uk