Chicken Tagine
Moroccan-style chicken, chickpea and dried-fruit stew with warm ras el hanout.
makes 18 blocks, about 32p each
- Time
- 1 hr 10 min15 min prep · 55 min cook
- Makes
- 18 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 32p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 83 kcal
- Spice
- 1 of 5
You’ll need
- 450gchicken thigh fillets
- 1 tin (400g)chopped tomatoes
- 2 (300g)onions
- 2 (180g)carrots
- 1 tin (240g drained)chickpeas
- 30gsoft pitted dates, chopped
- 30gsoft dried apricots, chopped
- 4 cloves (20g)garlic
- 15mlrapeseed oil
- 8g (about 3 tsp)ras el hanout
- 3gsmoked paprika
- 2gturmeric
- 1gcinnamon
- 1glemon pepper
- 15mllemon juice
- 3gsalt
- 150mlwater
Allergens: Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Lemony couscous with parsley · Flatbread and Greek yoghurt · A jacket sweet potato
Method
- Step 1: Dice the chicken into 2cm pieces, the onion finely and the carrot into small cubes. Crush the garlic. (10 min)
- Step 2: Soften the onion and carrot in the oil over a medium heat. (8 min)
- Step 3: Add the garlic, ras el hanout, paprika, turmeric and cinnamon and fry until fragrant. (1 min)
- Step 4: Add the chicken and turn it in the spices until sealed. (3 min)
- Step 5: Add the tomatoes, water, chickpeas, dates and apricots. Cover and simmer gently. (25 min)
- Step 6: Uncover and simmer until thick enough to hold on a spoon. (10 min)
- Step 7: Add the lemon juice, lemon pepper and salt; lightly crush a few chickpeas to thicken. Cool and freeze in 69g blocks.
Hotter: stir 1–2 tbsp harissa in with the tomatoes.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 83 | 6.5g | 7.1g | 2.9g | 2.2g | 0.26g |
| Per 3 blocks | 249 | 19.5g | 21.3g | 8.7g | 6.6g | 0.78g |
Cook’s notes
- Turkey thigh works just as well as chicken here.
- No ras el hanout? Mix 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of allspice.
- Grated preserved lemon instead of lemon pepper gives a more authentic finish.
Serve it
Lemony couscous with parsley · Flatbread and Greek yoghurt · A jacket sweet potato.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 249 kcal and 19.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Chicken Tagine questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Breast works but dries out sooner. Seal it in the spices the same way and cut the covered simmer to about 15 minutes.
Can I use different dried fruit?
Raisins, sultanas or chopped prunes all work in place of the dates and apricots. Keep the total weight the same so the stew doesn't get too sweet.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Swap the chicken for a second tin of chickpeas and some diced butternut squash. Add the squash with the tomatoes so it has time to soften.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.