Those weird, cone-shaped, clay-like dishes always piqued my interest, and I was curious as to what on earth was made in there. While I unfortunately don’t have a tagine cooking vessel of my own, I do have a large braising pan that worked well enough. I’m sure the long, slow-cooked flavors of a traditionally cooked tagine is out of this world, but this recipe is actually one of my new favorites! With the cooler weather coming around the corner, this is definitely the kind of recipe you’ll want to gather family and friends, cuddle up, and sit together at cozy kitchen tables with good food and conversation.
Tagines originate from Morocco and the actual dish is named after the pot in which it is cooked. Most tagine recipes include slow-cooked, tender meats and vegetables mixed with aromatic spices and herbs like ras el hanout (a mix of over 30 spices), cinnamon, saffron, coriander, and cumin. The base of the tagine acts as a cooking and serving dish, while the cone serves as an insulated oven that also keeps the moisture locked in.
I love the different designs on some of them and they come in all kind of different sizes and colors.
[source]
[source]
This recipe is certainly not slow-cooked, but has a wonderful flavor and is a great substitute for a quick weeknight dinner!
Quick Chicken Tagine
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion (or you could use leek)
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- dash of cayenne, optional
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.25 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 12 ounces peeled, cubed butternut squash (I used TJ’s pre-chopped to make it quicker)
- 8 pitted honey dates, chopped (use half if using medjools)
- Quinoa for serving
Place chicken or protein source in a zippie bag with all the spices/garlic and let marinate and coat for a few minutes. Heat oil in a large braising pan over medium heat. Add onion or leek; cook 8 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Dump in the bag of chicken and spices; cook 5 minutes to let the chicken get a nice crust. Stir in broth, squash, and dates; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 30 minutes or until squash is tender (if you chop the squash smaller it may take less time to cook). Serve along side some quinoa or cous cous if desired.
I put some spinach under mine too for some extra green.
It was really great for leftovers too!
This dish has such wonderful flavors, I can’t wait to make it again! Maybe in a real tagine next time?
