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| Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauce, served with Couscous |
I couldn't decide whether to call this dish "Chicken and Chickpea Tagine" or "Bobby Flay, I Think I Love You". I really wanted to give it the name of the Food Network chef, but I was scared the search engines wouldn't figure out what I wanted people to be able to find. But YOU may call it "Bobby Flay, I Think I Love You", if you like. And if you try it, I bet you will.
I found this recipe because I received a box of Moroccan spices from a giveaway at Thyme in our Kitchen, and while I was familiar with the spice blend called ras al-hanut, there was another spice called harissa that I had no idea how to use. So, I googled, and found Bobby Flay's recipe, that I have adapted here.
It was so good, that I knew I wanted to share it with you! Tender, juicy meat, the sweetness of the apricots, the deeply complex spiciness of ras al-hanout, the coolness and the heat from the harissa sauce: this dish was an amazing combination of flavors that burst on my tastebuds like a Moroccan sandstorm. Only juicier! And MUCH more flavorful. OK, almost nothing like a Moroccan sandstorm. I was going for the elements of power and speed here, in my little failed analogy. :-D
Don't be intimidated by a recipe that has terms that may be unfamiliar to you. Let me share with you what I've learned about a tagine, a spice blend called harissa, and one more spice blend: ras al-hanut.
- Tagine: Wikipedia tells me that tagines (also spelled tajines) are a dish typical to Moroccan cuisine. They are slow cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in meat that is very tender. The meat is simmered with aromatic vegetables and sauce. Moroccan tajines often contain dried fruits and special spice blends. The ceramic vessel they are cooked in is also called a tagine. It's a flat, circular dish with a conical cover. If you'd like to see a picture of that dish, or research more, here's a link. I didn't have a tagine dish, but a Dutch oven works just fine.
- Harissa: a spice blend, typically used in North African cuisine, principally in Tunisia and Morocco. The ingredients in my jar, made by the Savory Spice Shop, contained roasted red jappone peppers, cumin, coriander, Hungarian and California paprika, garlic, salt, and caraway.
- Ras al-hanut: is a popular Moroccan blend of spices, whose name literally means "top of the shop", meaning this is the best blend of spices a seller has to sell. My jar, also from the Savory Spice Shop, contained nutmeg, sea salt, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, mace, cinnamon, ground allspice, turmeric, and saffron. I have, however, made my own blend at home, and here's the recipe I used, given to me by my favorite local chef, Chef Deb Paquette:
Do It Yourself Ras al-hanut:
2 tsp. each:
ground nutmeg
coriander
cumin
ginger
turmeric
salt
cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. each:
sugar
paprika
black pepper
1 tsp. each:
cayenne
cardamom
allspice
1/2 tsp.: ground clove
Mix well. This makes about 8 tablespoons and you can keep the rest in a little jar, till you want to use it again. It's great for flavoring rice, or couscous, meatballs or used as a rub on a pork tenderloin, which is how I've used it.
I made a couple of slight adjustments to Chef Flay's recipe. His harissa sauce calls for crème fraiche, and to cut fat, I used Greek yogurt. That worked well. Also, he is known for enjoying spicy food, so I cut the amount of harissa in my version. He used 1 T. I cut the amount to two teaspoons: it's fiery hot stuff. And then I ended up adding another tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt to tame the flames a bit more. All that to say, that you can adjust the heat in this recipe to your own preference.
Another way to lower the fat in this recipe would be to use chicken breasts, rather than thighs. I used thighs, which are more flavorful (but, they have more fat, too).
I made a couple of slight adjustments to Chef Flay's recipe. His harissa sauce calls for crème fraiche, and to cut fat, I used Greek yogurt. That worked well. Also, he is known for enjoying spicy food, so I cut the amount of harissa in my version. He used 1 T. I cut the amount to two teaspoons: it's fiery hot stuff. And then I ended up adding another tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt to tame the flames a bit more. All that to say, that you can adjust the heat in this recipe to your own preference.
Another way to lower the fat in this recipe would be to use chicken breasts, rather than thighs. I used thighs, which are more flavorful (but, they have more fat, too).
This recipe can be prepared either on the stovetop, or in the oven, according to your preference. I prepared mine in the oven.
Are you exhausted from all this edumacation I'm giving you?
And you're ready for the actual recipe for the dish now?
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| One more view, from overhead, just to whet your appetite. |
Here we go, and remember, even though it has a long ingredient list, it is actually very easy to assemble.
Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauce
Ingredients:
2 T. canola oil
8 chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced into half moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. ras al-hanut
Large pinch saffron, soaked in 1/4 c. warm water
1 cinnamon stick
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3/4 c. dried apricots, sliced in half
Harissa Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional for you cilantro haters)
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400º.
Heat canola oil in a large Dutch oven or a tagine over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place in the hot pan, skin side down, in batches if needed, cook until golden brown. Turn the thighs over and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove chicken to a plate.
Remove all but 2 T. of the oil from the pan and then add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ras al-hanut and cook another 30 seconds. Add the saffron with the soaking liquid, cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots and bring to a simmer. Place the chicken into the mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, either on the stovetop, or in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Do not remove the lid to check on the chicken until this time is up. Garnish each serving with a dollop of Harissa Sauce, parsley and cilantro.
Harissa Sauce
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1 T. harissa
Salt
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and let stand at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
I served this dish with couscous, because it seemed like the Moroccan thing to do, but I think rice would be great as well.
I'd love to hear from you. Ever had Moroccan cuisine?
Are you a fan of Chef Flay?
