This one-pot Moroccan spiced chicken and couscous recipe was inspired by the Moroccan tagines I enjoyed on holiday.
What Is A Tagine And How Is This Different?
The name for the morrocam stew known as tagine comes from the pot it is traditionally cooked in, also called a tagine. While many of the flavours used here might also be used to flavour a typical tagine, at least, by modern Western standards, it’s not quite a tagine. It’s cooked in much the same way you would cook a chicken stew, regardless of country, however, cous cous is added at the end. Couscous soaks up all that lovely liquor, leaving a drier dish which is more akin to a rice dish such as jambalaya or biryani.
This one-pot Moroccan spiced chicken and couscous recipe makes use of a regular cooking pot but it’s served in a tagine pot I brought following a very brief negotiation with a salesman in a Moroccan souk.
The Spice Mix
The spice mix used in this one-pot chicken and cous cous recipe was inspired by Moroccan flavours. If it were to be given a name, it would be called a homemade “Ras el Hanout” spice mix. However, Ras el Hanout can be found with many different blends.
Ras el hanout is a spice mix from North Africa, which loosely translates to “head of the shop.” Its composition varies from seller to seller and is typically a blend of the shopkeepers’ best spices.
One-Pot Moroccan Spiced Chicken And Couscous
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 8 Boneless Chicken Thighs
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Coriander Ground
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- ½ Tsp Black Pepper
- ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Tsp Turmeric
- ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ Tsp Ground Cloves
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Ground Cardamon
For the Stew
- 1 Large White Onion Diced
- 1 Large Cinnamon Stick Snapped
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
- 600 ml Chicken Stock
- 300 g Couscous
- 10 g Fresh Coriander Chopped
- 10 g Fresh Mint Chopped
To Finish
- 1 Tsp Golden Raisins
- 1 Tsp Apricots Diced
- 1 Tbsp Flaked Almonds Toasted
- 1 Tsp Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the chicken, half of the olive oil, and spices listed for the chicken together and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Fry the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and onions for 4-5 minutes until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Stir the chicken, and tomato puree into the pan.
- Cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a summer. Cover and cook for 35-40 mins until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover and leave to stand for 2 minutes until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Fluff with a fork.
- Mix the mint and coriander through the dish, then season to taste.
- Spoon into a serving dish. Serve topped with the fruit, nuts, and chopped parsley.
3 responses to “One-Pot Moroccan Spiced Chicken And Couscous”
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[…] with olive to absorb the flavour of the spices. Harissa is used to glaze meats, flavour stews and tagines, season couscous, and as a […]
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