Moroccan Chicken Tagine
This traditional Moroccan dish is not only delicious but extremely healthful! Use a tagine cooking vessel, traditional Moroccan spices and serve with authentic basmati rice.
A tagine is a Moroccan stew made in a cooking vessel by the same name. You can use beef or lamb in this recipe instead of chicken or you may use turkey tenders or parts as well.
The spices are very important; I find that the spice blends from Victoria’s Gourmet or Frontier Co-op are perfect blends but you may use other blends or make your own just keep it authentic!
2-3 lbs free range chicken, cut up
2 Tbls Moroccan spice blend, Victoria’s Gourmet
1 tsp Ras el Hanout spice blend,Frontier
2 large onions, sliced
3 carrots,sliced diagonally
1 or 2 preserved lemons, cut up
pinch of saffron threads
1 large organic tomato, cut into quarters
1/2 cup of low sodium broth
1/2 cup of pimento stuffed green olives
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh ground salt and grains of paradise pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in tagine on the stove top at medium high
Season the chicken with the spice blends and add to tagine
Brown the chicken as you turn it occasionally
Add onions and carrots and preserved lemon
Sprinkle with the saffron threads, add the broth and olives
add tomatoes
Cover the tagine with lid and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile make a pot of authentic basmati rice; I like Royal Brand as it is a very fine rice that elongates as it cooks. The rice should be fine and light and if you wish season it with a pinch of saffron and a bit of ground salt and a splash of olive oil for a superb flavor!
Serve the Chicken Tagine over the rice and enjoy a magnificent middle eastern dish that you will want to make again and again!
Enjoy with a good white wine such as unoaked chardonnay or a dry Riesling would be great as well!
