Chicken & Chickpea Tagine

• 1000 gbone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 300 mlchicken stock
• 480 gdrained chickpeas (from 2 x 400 g tins), rinsed
• 400 gtin chopped tomatoes
• 2large onions, sliced into half-moons
• 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tspground cumin
• ½ tspground cinnamon
• ½ tspground ginger
• ½ tspground turmeric
• 1 tbsphoney
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2 tspras el hanout
• 1 tspground coriander
• 100 gdried apricots, roughly chopped
• 20 gpreserved lemon skin (about 2 quarters), flesh discarded, finely sliced
• 15 gmint leaves, torn
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 15 gcoriander leaves (optional)
• 60 gtoasted flaked almonds (optional)
• 300 gcooked couscous (optional)

Method

1. 1Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and half the ras el hanout, working it into every surface.
2. 2Divide the olive oil between the two batches. Heat half in a large heavy casserole over a high heat until it shimmers. Brown the chicken in two batches, 3 minutes per side until deep mahogany. Don't crowd the pan; pile it in all at once and the meat steams in its own juices instead of building that fond on the base. Lift out and set aside.
3. 3Turn the heat down to medium and tip in the sliced onions with a good pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelised; the salt pulls moisture out and helps them lift the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. 4Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; no more. Tip in the rest of the ras el hanout, the cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and turmeric, and fry them in the oil for another 60 seconds until fragrant and darkened a shade.
5. 5Pour in the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir well and bring to a steady simmer.
6. 6Nestle the browned thighs back in with any resting juices, bring to a steady simmer, then cover and cook gently for 20 minutes.
7. 7Add the chickpeas, chopped apricots and sliced preserved lemons. Stir gently, re-cover, and cook for a further 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the thickest meat away from bone reaches 75°C for 30 seconds and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, spoon-coating consistency.
8. 8Lift the chicken out, shred the meat from the bones with two forks, and return it to the pan. Stir in the honey. Taste; you're after a proper balance of warmth from the spice, sweetness from the apricots, and salty-sour lift from the preserved lemon.
9. 9Spoon into deep bowls and scatter over the torn mint. Serve with the optional cooked couscous, coriander and toasted flaked almonds if using.

Per serving

kcal

472

protein

29.8g

fibre

9.1g

carbs

39.1g

fat

22g