Moroccan Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Couscous

Name: Moroccan Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Couscous
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 yellow onion (small, chopped); 2 clove garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder; 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon; 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained); 1 can chickpeas (rinsed, drained); 1 cup chicken broth; 0.25 cup dried apricot (chopped); 0.5 cup whole wheat couscous; 1 cup hot water (hot); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Tender chicken and chickpeas simmered in a fragrant, spiced tomato-based sauce with dried apricots, served over fluffy couscous for a warming and exotic meal.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Servings: 2
Cuisine: Moroccan
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $5.87/serving

Dietary

Dairy-Free
Nut-Free
Soy-Free
Egg-Free
High-Protein
High-Fiber

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 yellow onion (small, chopped)
2 clove garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
0.5 teaspoon cinnamon
0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can chickpeas (rinsed, drained)
1 cup chicken broth
0.25 cup dried apricot (chopped)
0.5 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup hot water (hot)
0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Season chicken thigh pieces with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add chopped yellow onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, ground ginger, ground cumin, turmeric powder, and cinnamon (and cayenne pepper, if using). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Return chicken to the pot. Stir in diced tomatoes (undrained), rinsed and drained chickpeas, chicken broth, chopped dried apricots, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and flavors have melded.
While the tagine simmers, prepare the whole wheat couscous. Place couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup hot water over it. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Taste the tagine and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve hot over fluffy whole wheat couscous. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes

If you don't have a Dutch oven, any heavy-bottomed pot with a lid will work. This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 735
Protein: 59.8 g
Carbohydrates: 83.1 g
Fat: 19.5 g
Fiber: 16.5 g
Sodium: 1350 mg
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Sugar: 19.3 g
Cholesterol: 135 mg