Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
• 1.5 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dried apricots, halved
• 1/2 cup green olives, pitted
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Dry skin is important here since it will brown better in the next step.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the chicken skin-side down for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a plate; the chicken will finish cooking later so it does not need to be fully cooked yet.
3. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion, cooking for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
5. Stir in the cumin, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices; they should smell very fragrant and darken slightly, but watch closely so they do not scorch.
6. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits, and stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
7. Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, nestling the pieces into the liquid so they are mostly submerged.
8. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and starting to pull away from the bone.
9. Stir in the dried apricots, olives, and honey, then re-cover and simmer for another 10 minutes so the apricots plump up and soften in the broth.
10. Uncover and check that the chicken reads 165F or higher (it should be well past that after braising) and that the sauce has thickened slightly; if it is still thin, simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
11. Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed, then garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot over couscous.

Nutrition

Calories	440
Protein	33.0 g
Fat	24.0 g
Carbs	26.0 g
Fiber	3.0 g
Sodium	720 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate per serving and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.