Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe (Stovetop or Instant Pot) (2024)

This Moroccan Chicken Tagine is loaded with fall apart tender pieces of chicken, veggies, apricots and almonds all coated in a rich sauce. This is an easy to make chicken tagine, that’s freezer friendly, can also be made in the instant pot and is perfect for a cold night. This Moroccan Chicken recipe is also Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free & Dairy Free too!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

• The Chicken Tagine recipe primarily contains ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. I omitted some ingredients which are often included in authentic tagine because they can be hard to find (such as preserved lemon).
• The chicken is cooked until melt in your mouth tender and absolutely delicious.
• It’s fancy enough to serve to guests at a dinner party but also easy enough to make for weeknight dinner for the family.
• This Moroccan Chicken Tagine freezes really well and is great to pull out on those night when you are craving a cozy meal.
• It’s rich in flavour and the perfect combination of slightly sweet, tangy and salty.
• Although this traditional slow-cooked moroccan dish is cooked in a tagine (see details below) in this simplified variation of the moroccan classic, you can use a large pot, no need to buy a fancy tagine clay pot just to make this recipe. I have also removed some of the harder to find traditional Tagine ingredients such as preserved lemons and the Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout.
• If you are short on time this Chicken Tagine can be made in the instant pot too! (see details below)

WHAT IS A TAGINE?

Chicken tagine is one of the mostpopular Moroccan dishes that is traditionally cooked and served in a tagine, a wide pan with a conical lid. Tagine refers to both the cooking vessel and what is cooked in it. The origins of the tagine clay pot can be traced back to the Berber tribes of North Africa, who used it to cook and serve their food. The design of the tagine allowed for slow and even cooking, which was particularly useful in the harsh desert environment where the Berber tribes lived. Over time, the tagine became an important part of Moroccan culture and cuisine. The pot was often used to cook stews and casseroles, which were flavored with a range of aromatic spices and herbs. The cone-shaped lid of the tagine helped to trap in the flavors and aromas, creating rich and delicious dishes. Today, the tagine remains an important part of Moroccan cuisine, and is also popular in other parts of North Africa and the Middle East.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TAGINE?

1. Start by cooking the chicken pieces in olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven on medium-high heat until golden brown in colour and a crust forms. Searing the chicken before leaving it to simmer in the stew will give it more flavour.
2. Next add the ginger, garlic and yellow onion to the pan and saute for a minute or two before adding in the sliced carrots.
3. Add in all of the spices (cinnamon, paprika, saffron, ground turmeric, ground ginger, ground coriander and ground cumin) plus the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, chicken broth and sweetener. Give everything a stir, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
4. Once the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened add in the diced apricots, lemon zest and flaked almonds enjoy!

CAN I MAKE CHICKEN TAGINE IN THE INSTANT POT?

This Chicken Tagine can be made in the instant pot! Turn the instant pot on to sear and cook the chicken before removing and adding in the onion, garlic and ginger. Leave the instant pot on sear while you add the spices, tomato paste, canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Once the liquid is simmering return the chicken to the pot. Put the lid on, lock it and make sure the steam valve is in the sealing position. Set the instant pot to pressure cook on high for 9 minutes. After nine minutes, let the pressure release naturally.

WHAT IS SAFFRON?

Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world (although when added to a recipe a little bit goes a long way). Saffron is harvested from a plant called crocus sativus which blooms for just 1 week each year, and each flower produces just 3 strands which have to be harvest by hand. Saffron has a mild slightly sweet taste and are most commonly used in Middle Eastern, European and Indian cooking.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN TAGINE

The Paleo Chicken Tagine can be enjoyed on its own as a meal, or served over saffron cauliflower rice (or regular rice). If you don’t have saffron don’t stress, regular rice (or cauliflower rice) would work just fine too!

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN TAGINE WHOLE30

This Moroccan tagine recipe is almost Whole30, to make it Whole30 compliant simply skip the honey, the tagine will taste just as delicious without it.

SHOULD I USE CHICKEN THIGHS OR BREASTS?

I recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs in this paleo chicken tagine recipe because they have more flavour and I find that they hold up better in a stew. If using chicken breasts, cut them into small pieces so that the meat becomes tender when cooked in the stew.

CAN I MAKE THIS CHICKEN TAGINE IN ADVANCE?

You can! This Paleo Chicken Tagine reheats really well. Make it up to 3 days in advance and warm it in a pot on the stove top until completely warmed through. While the dried apricots refrigerate and reheat well, I recommend leaving the flaked almonds out and only adding them right before serving to ensure they remain crunchy.

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?

Leftover Moroccan Chicken Tagine will last for up to 4 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. I recommend reheating the chicken tagine in a pot on the stove with a splash of chicken stock. It can also be reheated in the microwave until warmed through. Alternatively any leftovers can be frozen in a container or ziploc bag for up to 4 months.

Here are a few more Middle Eastern inspired recipes that you might enjoy:

• Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous Salad
• Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken
• Middle Eastern Lamb Stuffed Eggplant
• Chicken Shawarma
• Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Cauliflower Couscous
• 4-Ingredient Moroccan Omelette

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!