Description
This flavorful Chicken Tagine with Spiced Brussels Sprouts & Feta combines tender chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant blend of cinnamon, turmeric, smoked paprika, and tomato purée with sweet apricots and hearty chickpeas. Finished with toasted cumin Brussels sprouts and crumbled feta, this dish offers a delicious balance of spices, textures, and vibrant colors perfect for an exotic and wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Tagine Base
- 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 1 red pepper, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10 boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 250ml chicken stock
- 6 dried apricots, cut in half
- 175g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Spiced Brussels Sprouts
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 275g Brussels sprouts, shredded
- ½ tbsp coconut oil (remaining from initial 1 ½ tbsp)
Finishing Touches
- 50g feta, crumbled
- ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced red onion, red pepper, and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Brown the Chicken: Increase the heat to high and add the chicken thigh fillets to the casserole. Fry together for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown the pieces evenly.
- Add Spices and Tomato Purée: Sprinkle in ground cinnamon, turmeric, and smoked paprika. Squeeze in the tomato purée and fry, stirring nearly constantly, for 1 minute to develop the flavors.
- Simmer the Tagine: Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover with a lid, and let cook for 30 minutes to allow the chicken to tenderize and infuse with the spices.
- Add Apricots and Chickpeas: Stir in the dried apricots and rinsed chickpeas. Continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes until the apricots soften and the stew thickens slightly.
- Toast Cumin and Fry Brussels Sprouts: While the tagine simmers, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and fry, stirring almost constantly, for 5 minutes until they soften and brown in places.
- Serve: Spoon the chicken tagine into a large serving bowl. Scatter the spiced Brussels sprouts on top, crumble over the feta cheese, and garnish with the roughly chopped coriander before serving.
Notes
- Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs ensures juicy, tender meat that cooks evenly in the tagine.
- Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds; toast them just until fragrant to bring out their flavor.
- Partially covering the casserole while simmering helps retain moisture while allowing excess liquid to reduce.
- Shredding Brussels sprouts helps them cook faster and develop a nice browned texture in the pan.
- Feel free to substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for a slightly different flavor or to suit dietary preferences.
- This dish can be served with couscous, rice, or flatbread to make a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: Chicken tagine, Moroccan chicken, spiced Brussels sprouts, feta, apricots, chickpeas, cinnamon, turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin seeds, healthy tagine
