Easy Chicken Tagine

File this under: OH MY GOD good!

If you don't like prunes, and you don't like cilantro (I know it's a love or hate thing), then don't read on.......

This was a happy accident.
Yesterday at the butcher, I accidentally bought a package of BONELESS SKINLESS chicken thighs. When I looked in my bag, I asked myself why I did that, since I hate boneless meat, everything is better on the bone, and with skin!!!!
What was I going to make with these alien pieces of chicken?

I looked thru every cookbook I had, no lie. Nothing called for skinless thighs.
So, I decided on a tagine. I usually make a tagine w/ chicken parts, and preserved lemons & green olives, but this recipe was a bit different sounding.

Enough chatting about it, tell us about the recipe already!

I googled chicken tagine, and don't you know that Rachel Ray had an interesting sounding recipe for a quick way to make one.
I am not a fan of hers, in fact, she is downright annoying. But at least I didn't have to listen to her voice tell me how to make it, I printed it and off I went.

I am not kidding, it was so delicious. It smelled wonderful, and I would definitely make this for my Sunday company dinners, along with hummus and maybe an eggplant dish to start, keeping the Moroccan, North African theme going.

I changed the recipe to my liking, and I promise you, you will love it, or your money back!




Easiest and Delicious Chicken Tagine: (adapted from Rachel Ray's recipe)
~ 1 large package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (her recipe called for bland boneless breasts) I used about 9 thighs, total
~ 10 pitted prunes, halved
~ 1/4 cup of golden raisins
~ one yellow onion, quartered and sliced
~ 4 cloves of garlic, smashed with the back of a knife
~ 2 cups of boxed chicken stock or homemade
~ olive oil for the pot

Seasoning: kosher salt & pepper for the thighs
then in a small bowl, mix the following dried spices:
~ 1 1/2 tsp cumin
~ 1/2 tsp turmeric
~ 1 1/2 tsp paprika
~ 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Couscous:
I used a box of Near East Garlic & Olive Oil flavored couscous and cooked it in:
~ 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock & olive oil, instead of water
After you cook it as per directions, take it off the heat, wait 5 minutes and fluff it with a fork.
To the couscous, add:
~ a couple of chopped scallions
~ a handful of chopped cilantro

Season your chicken w/ kosher salt & pepper.
Coat heavy pot w/ olive oil and put in your 4 cloves of garlic. Cook about 2 minutes.
Then add your chicken and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
Now add your onions, prunes and raisins to the pot. Stir around w/ a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
Now add your spice seasoning mixture and coat the chicken with this.
Time to add your 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer and simmer about 20 minutes, until chicken is done. Let the sauce and chicken rest a few minutes so the sauce thickens a bit.

Serve over a platter of couscous and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
I loved this recipe. I froze the leftover delicious sauce for the next batch of roasted chicken legs and will serve it over rice or use it for a soup stock.


Hey, maybe Rachel Ray isn't so bad after all.
(but I know I will get comments telling me otherwise!)