Chicken & Chickpea Tagine with Apricots & Winter Squash

A comforting Moroccan stew brimming with subtle aromas

Total Time1

Keyword: Convalescent/Comfort Food, Dairy-Free (or can be), Fish & Seafood, Gluten-Free (or can be), Instant Pot, Legumes, Meat & Chicken, Soups & Stews, Vegan (or can be), Vegetarian (or can be)

Servings:

Calories: 394kcal

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!

Nutrition