Chicken tagine
Our chicken tagine with pointed cabbage salad and cucumber raita will transport you to Morocco, the land where bustling souks unveil spice-scented air, rich olives, and bountiful dried fruit. The recipe combines tender chicken breast with a spice infusion of paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric. A pinch of saffron deepens the flavour and colour of the tagine, which is served alongside nutty brown rice and cool skyr raita with cucumber.
Ingredients
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200 g
Brown rice
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Stew
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5 g
Butter
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2 tsp
Paprika powder
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1 tsp
Cinnamon
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1 tsp
Turmeric
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½ tsp
Salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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280 g
Chicken breasts, diced
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300 g
Carrots, cut into large pieces
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200 g
Red peppers, cut into large dice
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2 tsp
Cumin
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A pinch of saffron
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500 ml
Stock
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1 can
Chickpeas (240 g drained weight)
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2 cans
Butter beans (480 g drained weight)
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Raita
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½
Cucumber, coarsely grated
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10 g
Mint, finely chopped
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10 g
Coriander, finely chopped
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¼ tsp
Salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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Pointed cabbage salad
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200 g
Pointed cabbages, finely shredded
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200 g
Edamame beans, thawed
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1
Cucumber, sliced
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40 g
Toasted almonds, roughly chopped
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To serve
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Parsley
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Instructions
Stew
Raita
Pointed cabbage salad
To serve
Recipe tips
It’s often the small details that make the biggest impact in the kitchen, so we’re sharing the tips we rely on when cooking and creating recipes
Marinating the chicken in a spice blend for 20-30 minutes before cooking is a simple yet effective way to boost flavours and evenly season the meat. Allow the chicken to sit in the marinade for 10-15 minutes before flipping it over to ensure the spices coat the meat thickly and evenly.
If the chicken stew is too thick, slowly add a little water or stock to the pot. Start with 100 ml and stir well before adding more. If your tagine is too thin, let it simmer without a lid for about 15 minutes. Any excess liquid will evaporate, effortlessly thickening and enriching the sauce.
Do not forget the final seasoning. Most of the bold flavours in this tagine come from the spices, deepening and enriching the dish as the meat and vegetables cook, but remember to taste the stew towards the end of simmering, so you can adjust with more salt, pepper, or whatever your taste buds tell you.
FAQ: questions about chicken tagine
Is your mind spinning as you try to figure out the way to a perfect chicken tagine? Land your thoughts back on the ground and let our FAQs bring assurance and clarity. Learn about traditional tagines, the best stock to use, cooking methods, storage, and more.
What is chicken tagine?
Chicken tagine is a traditional Moroccan stew known for its authentic flavours of rich spices, succulent vegetables, and tender meat. Typically slow-cooked over coals or fire, tagines combine warm spices like paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and saffron for a tidal wave of flavours that get taste buds dancing.
What type of stock should I use for chicken tagine?
Chicken stock is the ideal choice for the chicken tagine, as it echoes the flavours of the dish while providing a rich, savoury stew base. Working well with spices like paprika, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and saffron, chicken stock ensures a well-rounded stew. Vegetable stock can be used in place of chicken stock, but will offer a less rich flavour.
Can I use a slow cooker for chicken tagine?
Yes, using a slow cooker for chicken tagine is a great cooking method that mimics the slow, steady process of cooking traditional tagine. Make sure the heat is on low to keep the vegetables tender and the meat succulent without drying out. Keep a watchful eye on the liquid in the slow cooker, initially adding less than recommended, as slow cookers tend to produce extra liquid during cooking.
How do I store leftover chicken tagine with pointed cabbage salad and cucumber raita?
If nobody has snatched up the last bit of the chicken tagine, it is very easy to store and keep in the fridge for another day. Let the tagine cool to room temperature for a couple of hours before adding it to an airtight container and refrigerating for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating, and make sure it gets evenly heated all the way through. The raita and pointed cabbage salad do not freeze well, but they can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days in separate containers.
Nutritional values per serving
Energy:
682 Kcal
| Energy distribution % | Nutritional values per serving | |
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| Fibre | - | 22.4 g |
| Protein | 29.3 % | 49.2 g |
| Fat | 21.4 % | 16.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49.3 % | 82.8 g |
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Soothing and aromatic chicken tagine
Bring the flavours of Morocco to the comfort of your own home with an exotic, deeply rich chicken tagine. This North African speciality captures the essence of Morocco with bold flavours, vibrant colours, and aromas that will waltz around your kitchen. Scarlet-red paprika delivers a sweet, peppery edge, while cinnamon and cumin create a warm, earthy base for the chicken and pulses. Turmeric provides a subtle flavour, but has a key role in enhancing the colour of the tagine with its intense orange hue.
A pinch of saffron brings a touch of luxury to the tagine, along with a gentle fragrance that melds with the bolder allies of cumin, cinnamon, and paprika. A butter bean purée is the ideal addition for creating a smooth texture that complements the thick tagine sauce.
Slow-simmered with colourful vegetables and tender chicken
While the chicken slowly simmers, the vegetables soften and become delicate, absorbing the hearty spices with ease.
Every tagine in Morocco is slightly different, from the vegetables and cuts of meat used to the spice blends and fruity additions. Some celebrate a myriad of vegetables like carrots, peppers, courgettes, and potatoes, while others favour the simplicity of meat and just a couple of simple veggies. Our recipe for chicken tagine falls somewhere between traditional tagines, slowly simmering the stew with a mix of colourful vegetables, succulent chicken, and warm, fragrant spices.
Served alongside rice, crisp cabbage salad, and cool raita
Serve the chicken tagine with tender brown rice as a solid foundation. The rice soaks up the sauce and absorbs the many layers of flavour.
We also recommend adding a crisp salad of pointed cabbage, edamame beans, and cucumber, topped with crunchy toasted almonds, to your plate. The salad brings freshness and crunch to the soft, rich tagine and makes a colourful accompaniment on the table.
To finish it all off, we have created a tangy, cooling raita with skyr and cucumber. Mint and coriander make sure it breaks with the somewhat heavy flavours of the stew, creating a balanced meal you will want to eat again and again.
Shape the recipe to your taste
Personalise the tagine however you fancy, adding preserved lemons and olives to excite the taste buds even more. Sprinkle toasted nuts and seeds over the tagine for a delicious crunch, or add dried apricots, dates, or prunes for a touch of sweetness. You can also alter the sides, swapping the brown rice for cauliflower rice, noodles, or boiled potatoes for a different meal, or substitute the pointed cabbage salad with, for example, a chickpea spinach salad or this pasta with beans and cottage cheese sauce.
Find more delicious sides among our top 7 high-protein salads or explore your options for high-protein vegetables to add to the plate.
