A tagine is both the name of a North African clay cooking pot with a conical lid and the slow‑simmered, stew‑like dish traditionally cooked inside it.
In this Moroccan‑inspired tagine, tender chicken, earthy chickpeas, and sweet‑tart apricots gently braise in an aromatic sauce scented with ginger, saffron, and cinnamon. Everything comes together in a single pot with minimal fuss and plenty of make‑ahead potential, and you can easily speed things up with a pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
Beyond being deeply comforting, this meal offers both animal and plant protein, soluble fiber, and a wide range of antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory compounds—supporting cardiometabolic function, microbiome, and immune health in true Mediterranean style.
The recipe is also endlessly adaptable: swap the chicken for tofu and use vegetable stock for a veg(etar)ian version, or use firm fish or shrimp, adding them in the last few minutes of cooking so they stay tender. Feel free to play with seasonal vegetables, too; artichoke hearts, green beans, or broccoli all work well (add broccoli about 10 minutes before serving so it stays bright).
Chicken & Chickpea Tagine with Apricots & Winter Squash
Equipment
- 1 12-inch skillet or shallow pot with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated (I use a Microplane zester)
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped (or ½ tbsp dried rosemary - though that's not as fragrant)
- ½ to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless & skinless, each piece cut into 2-3 pieces; or protein-equivalent in extra- or super-firm tofu cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup dried apricots I love Trader Joe's Simply Amazing Soft Dried Apricots
- 1 tbsp honey
- 14.5 oz tomatoes canned; petite diced
- 2 generous pinches saffron Trader Joe's has the best-value saffron (not a sponsor!)
- 14 oz chickpeas drained & rinsed (if you coak & cook your chickpeas from scratch, that's 1¾ cups cooked)
- 2 cups winter squash cubed; I use red kuri (which you don't have to peel) or butternut squash (which does need to be peeled)
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- ½ cup cilantro and/or parsley chopped
- fish sauce, lemon juice, freshly zested lemon peel, and honey optional, but these further deepen the flavors
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, ginger, rosemary, red pepper flakes and cinnamon stick and saute until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the chicken chunks or tofu cubes and saute them all around (4-5 minutes).
- Add the apricots with the honey, then stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the saffron, chickpeas, cubed winter squash, and the chicken bone broth.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low heat or bake in the oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes, until the squash is very soft.
- Season to taste with salt and/or fish sauce, pepper, more honey (esp. If your apricots are on the tart side), a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and, for a particularly Moroccan twist, a pinch of freshly grated lemon zest.
- Scatter with chopped herbs and serve alongside steamed, buttered couscous or steamed quinoa.
- Accompany with olives, chopped preserved lemon, and harissa for anyone who wants to add even more oomph!