A lightly spiced chicken tagine recipe with prunes. Top with toasted almonds, fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds - perfect winter comfort food with an accompanying plate of semolina with sultana raisins. Based on a lamb tagine with prunes but made with chicken or oyster fowl instead.
25g (1oz/ 1 tbsp)almond slivers toasted under grill, for garnish
1tablespoonfresh coriander leavesfor garnish
pomegranate seeds(optional)
Instructions
Coat the chicken in flour and fry in olive oil in a large non-stick casserole dish. When browned on all sides, strain and remove from the pot and keep aside on a plate. Add the grated garlic, ginger and cayenne, frying for a minute. Add the rest of the spices and fry for a further minute.
Add the chicken back to the pot with the chicken stock, saffron, if using, and thyme. Cover and cook on low heat for at least an hour.
After an hour, add the tomatoes and prunes. Cook for a further 30 minutes. Prepare the semolina, as per packet instructions and serve with toasted almond slivers and the fresh coriander leaves.
Notes
The prunes can be replaced by dried apricots - works very well with the chicken.Tagine Serving Suggestions
Serve with semolina (100g per person/100ml water including a tablespoon orange blossom water, a tablespoon olive oil for 6, pepper, salt, olive oil), prepare as of packet instructions and add a knob of butter when reheating.
Goes well with a Moroccan red wine (we love 'Tandem', a syrah fruity/peppery red made as a joint effort by Alain Graillot and Ouled Thaleb winery near Casablanca).
Make Ahead RecipeThe tagine can be made the day before and reheated before serving. Also freezes well in advance. Make the first part without the prunes. Cool, chill & freeze then after defrosting, reheat adding the prunes and continue the rest of the recipe.This serves 4 good portions or 6 if for a smaller appetite.