Don't worry you don't have to cook this Easy Moroccan Chicken Tagine in a tagine! A dutch oven or skillet works great! A flavorful chicken stew with warming spices and fresh citrus! The best Morrocan chicken recipe!
What is a Moroccan Tagine?
Do you have a tagine? It's a lovely cooking vessel, with a cone shaped lid and a flat round bottom. The cone shape is designed to keep the food moist. As the food cooks and steam rises, it is captured in the cone and drips back into the food.
While I would love to have a tagine, I really don't have room for one and I do have plenty of enameled cast iron dutch ovens that will do. You just want to be sure you have something with a tight lid. Some dutch ovens even have little spikes on the inside of the lid which encourage the condensation to drip back into the food.
Ingredients in this Moroccan Chicken Recipe:
- Moroccan spices - ginger, cinnamon and saffron. If you don't have saffron, you can substitute ½ teaspoon turmeric and a ½ teaspoon paprika.
- Garlic.
- Red Bell Pepper.
- Chicken Broth - I used homemade, if using store bought try to find a lower sodium one.
- Orange Juice.
- Onions.
- Olive oil.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs. Boneless, skinless breasts will work, but thighs tend to stay moist better.
- Lemon.
- Kalamata Olives - can use a nice green olive if you can't find Kalamata.
- Fresh Cilantro.
- Fresh Parsley.
- Oranges.
How to Make this Easy Moroccan Chicken
Chop and prep the vegetables and the chicken. Heat olive oil in a tagine or a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken (note - I put the chicken on the bottom so that it has a chance to brown a little before stirring, onions, bell pepper, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, saffron (or turmeric and paprika), and garlic cloves. Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add the broth, orange juice and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then cover it, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is simmering (and your house smells amazing!) prepare the fresh citrus sauce.
To prepare the citrus sauce: peel and chop the orange sections (removing the seeds,) chop the parsley and the cilantro, slice or chop the pitted Kalamata olives, and peel and chop the lemon (removing the seeds.)
Turn off the heat and take the lid off the chicken stew. Stir in the fresh citrus mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings.
The Best Citrus Chicken Tagine Recipe!
I found this recipe in an old 2002 Cooking Light Annual, proving once again that even older recipes are good (well, except for those weird loafs and things from the 70's!)
It was perfect. It manages to taste long simmering and fresh at the same time – I think the last minute addition of the oranges, parsley, cilantro, olives and lemons gives it that fresh flavor.
You want to serve it with couscous or rice or pasta, something to make sure you get every last bit of that sauce!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Another Moroccan favorite is this Easy Tabbouleh Salad, made with rotisserie chicken it's the perfect weeknight dinner!
These Chicken Skewers have a delicious mint and lemon dressing!
If you make this I would love it if you would follow me and tag me on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Moroccan Citrus Chicken Tagine
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs coarsely chopped
- 2 cups onion chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads crushed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 oranges peeled, seeded, chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives sliced
- 1 lemon peeled, seeded, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Tagine or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, red bell pepper, ginger, cinnamon, saffron and garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes. Don't stir for the first 5 minutes or so, letting the chicken get a little color to it.
- Add the broth, orange juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, combine the chopped oranges, parsley, cilantro, olives and chopped lemons in a small bowl.
- When the cooking time is up, turn off the heat and stir in the citrus mixture.
- Serve over couscous (traditional) or rice or noodles.
Hayley Greer says
Absolutely amazing! I wanted to try this recipe for the oranges to help get some extra vitamin C. It will be a new stable meal this winter. Soooo tangy and sweet but also savory with the chicken.
Pam Greer says
So glad you liked it!
Mahy says
Those colors make me want to go all-in with this recipe - such a delicious-looking tagine! I think I do miss a couple of ingredients though, so really excited to make it as soon as I get everything I need!
Ashley says
This reminds me of my favorite Chicken Tagine from Rezaz in Biltmore Village! And, do I spy East Fork Pottery?! Love! I'm an AVL native and have a little collection going!
Pam Greer says
Yes, it is East Fork! I love their pottery!
Tisha says
Love the Moroccan flavors of this dish!! Sounds so good!
Tammy says
This looks absolutely delicious! I love your photos...this sounds like a wonderful meal with the oranges and olives...yum!
wilhelmina says
I don't have a tagine either, but I grabbed my dutch oven and gave this a try. Delicious! So rich in flavor, it's tastes like a fancy restaurant meal!
Susan says
This looks delicious! I bought saffron in Italy and I can't wait to use it in the recipe! Pinned it to my dinner board too!
Anita says
I've seen a tagine before and have been contemplating buying one, but like you said, my kitchen already has too many pots and pans and gadgets, haha. Love that you can make it work with a Dutch oven. 🙂
Chris says
"you know the kind with the cavernous corners that you have to pull out everything in the front to get to"
Wow, you have been in my kitchen for sure!
grace says
while i definitely don't need a tagine, i can see the appeal of having one. this meal sounds glorious!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
What a great savory chicken dish, perfect dinner time recipe!
Marjie says
It sounds like a wonderful fall dish. I'm thinking soups and stews are ready for more time on the menu these days.
Kate Greer says
I need a subscription to them!
Joanne says
I love the sweet spices used in a savory way in tagines. Mmm.
And hey..I'd be happy with a Dutch oven, never mind a tagine!
Melynda and Terry, we are the Browns! says
We have been going through a learning phase here with curry, and I have been enjoying that, however this looks like the next meal to be cooked in my dutch oven too.